Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1923-02-03
"THE BLACK NANNY"


ment to the BLACK mammies" of the
Southland has awakened surprise in
some quarters and a disposition te
criticise the action of the sponsors OIL
the movement in some others. We are
of the opinion that the real purpos,
OF the movement should be understood
and that it may be that no sinister
purpose underlies this great move.
ment. Some colored people, especially
those of the intellectual type seem 70
be of the opinion that in the move
ment is an attempt TO discredit the
new progressive Negro and to give
"Dack-hand" lick, so to speak to his
present day accomplishments and as
piratiOns
Be that as it may. It seems to US
that we should be careful as to our
attitude in this matter and that
thorough unt understanding of The rela.
tionship Of this type of colo, ed folks
is essentially necessary in order to ar
rive at proper conclusion in this
matter. The proverbial "black
nanny" who was not always blach
represents type of coIored folks wno
were iniertwined in the life and habits
of the aristocratic soutlrerners, VIII,
owned slaves. They We're not subjected
TO the alleged brutal treatment OF the
slaves and were treated as one of thu
family, going abroad with the mls.
tress and sleeping oft-times in the al.
Joining room to that of the family.
Those colored folks of the other type
were frequently known as "corh-field
Negroes" They had their own idioms
and expressions. They were not per.
mitted at the big house" and they
came under the control of the rough
over-seers, whose word was virtually
law to them. But the nanny class
nurtured the offspring of the upper
classes.
The "Bre- Rabbit storieS'' the "CiIl.
derilis" ana the GLASS Slipper ana
through this foster mother to these
southern aristocrats, both male and fe-
male. AS result, white children were
taught to mind these mammies ara
these same colored people taught the
white children the blessed truths of
the Bible and showed them the rigbr
4hNv,
to observe the former.
The children of the mnmmies be
came companions of the white children
and in turn served in the big House
as buffers messengers, Wallets and the
like. without even an education, they
learned to speak good English ann
learned the manners and customs Oh
polite society. Reared i'm this manner,
they brought forth the faithful men
servants some Of whom followed their
masters to the battle field. When the
white men died. amongst the mourners
were these faithful black servants.
But what we wish to impress upon the
ledulHS pubic Is the lacC CnaC an Ut
tachment was formed between these
black and white people that has lasted
up to this day.
The off-sprinf of these family ser.
wants can today approach any of the
white folks of The old type and secure
favor that as y Negro, money cannot
buy. Many of the famous statesmen Of
this century were nurtured at III,
breasts of these Negro mammies and
murmured the first Lords prayer from
instructions given them by these sable
female servants of other days. These
colored servants were positive in
teaching manners to their white
charges, but they were rough-shod in
teaching the same lessons to their own
black offspring. The worst reprimand
in words to be given was, you've got
no manners. You are just like corn