Mammy
Mammy (also spelled Mammie ) is the derogatory term and form of address for black African nannies , whose appearance and style of clothing correspond to a certain racist stereotype . The word has its origins in the colonial days of the United States in the 18th century , when female slaves in white households had to take care of the care and upbringing of the children.
Historical background
The form of address "Mammy" was coined by British colonialists around the middle of the 18th century. It represents the deliberately derogatory slang form of the word " nanny " and should separate the colored nanny from the white. From the beginning, “Mammy” was used exclusively for black African slaves who were supposed to take care of the children in white households and raise them. The upbringing, supervision and care of colored (own) children was often neglected because the slave owners usually asked for it - in their opinion, white children had priority. Since black slaves were viewed as "inferior" and "useful cattle" in the US until the late 19th century , the mothers' fare didn't fare much better either. In the case of the smallest violations and / or rule breaks, they often had to endure brutal and inhumane punishments and insults. The psychological and physical consequences were often felt by their own children. Even after slavery was officially abolished in the USA on December 18, 1865 with the entry into force of the 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution , it took decades before the "Mammies" were granted more civil rights and better working conditions.
Stereotypes and clichés
The classic, stereotypical image of "Mammy" became popular in the 1820s. The "classic Mammy" is of African descent, dark-skinned and mostly elderly. She is consistently portrayed as more or less overweight, but muscular, with broad shoulders and large hands. Her style of clothing corresponds entirely to that of a housekeeper and nanny: she wears a (mostly white) apron and simple slippers with wide blouses and simple skirts . A headscarf tied up at the front serves as headgear. A popular but racist cliché is that mommies like to lavishly adorn themselves with kitschy accessories (especially bracelets, rings and hoop earrings ). The character of a classic Mammy is consistently described as motherly, maudlin, but strict and authoritarian. Her voice often sounds loud and bossy and her way of speaking is characterized by a heavily broken English (the so-called " southern dialect "). The best-known portrait of a stereotypical Mammy is that of the domestic servants in the classic film Gone with the Wind (played by Hattie McDaniel ), and Mammy Two-Shoes from the cartoon series Tom and Jerry (voiced by Lillian Randolph ) is also very well known .
Mammies in modern reception areas
The stereotypical, “classic” image of Mammy has led to widely differing views, especially in the USA. While the image of Mammy is perceived as racist and discriminatory on the one hand (especially by colored people), it has also experienced a strong romanticization . Mammies are still considered to be the epitome of maternal care, rigor and security. Antique postcard motifs from the early 19th century already show mothers with white children shopping or walking in the park. Or they show mammies who look after a group of children playing, interestingly enough, white and colored children always play together. Such often strongly kitschy motifs should on the one hand emphasize the positive professional and character traits of a mammy, but at the same time also cover up the actual, inhumane working and living conditions. Because portraits of “classic mammies” are perceived as racist and discriminatory, their depiction is now banned in many US states . Exceptions are television series and movies with a historical, educational background.
literature
- Kimberly Wallace-Sanders: Mammy: A Century of Race, Gender, and Southern Memory . University of Michigan Press, 2008, ISBN 9780472116140
- Brian D. Behnken, Gregory D. Smithers: Racism in American Popular Media: From Aunt Jemima to the Frito Bandito . ABC-CLIO, 2015, ISBN 9781440829772 , pp. 83, 93–96 & 140.
- Karl F. Cohen: Forbidden Animation: Censored Cartoons and Blacklisted Animators in America . McFarland, 2013, ISBN 9781476607252 , pp. 56 & 57.