More than a little silly.
But, in partial defense of the bowdlerizers, the word in question has changed considerably in meaning since Twain used it.
See my reply # 10 following yours.Of course,
The word has changed in meaning since it was first used in Huckleberry Finn, but that’s not what’s on the agenda of the Publishers or the people they’re intending to serve.
Chances are very high that changing the N-word to ‘slave’ will NOT go unnoticed by any kid reading this word, thereby backfiring, and HEIGHTENING the fact that the N-word was used all those years ago. So they tend to wind up in the same place intellectually as if they’d just been given the original version to read. THIS time, though, they’ve had a little detour on the road to Political Correctness they didn’t need, and probably would laugh at once it becomes clear to them.
The meaning of the word has changed not a bit. At the time it was a colloquialiasm for a person with black skin. It still means exactly that.