One of the saddest things about Mammy, is the fact that she was often separated from her own children so she could be more available to the Wife of the plantation owner and her children. Sometimes one of the requirements of being a Mammy was pregnancy, with a due date that coincided with her Mistress's. Mammy was often required to suckle the child...and if she had a particularly mean Mistress, she was expected to put the child of the mistress before her very own child. That must have been heartbreaking.
Many people resent the fact that mammy was a so-called house negro, with all the frills of the big house available to her; but the sad truth was, Mammy was on call 24 hours a day. If the children of the big house was ill, Mammy was responsible for sitting up and caring for them all night....Yet breakfast still had to be cooked, clothes had to be washed, and The House still had to be ran...and this extraordinary woman had all that responsibility resting on her strong, broad shoulders. Her critics fail to realize that her strategic position in the big house...afforded her many an opportunity to minister to the needs of the so-called field negroes...especially when they had been whipped. Living in the big house gave her access to the healing oils...and indeed, she often applied the healing oils as she prayed and cried over the victim.
Mammy was a wise woman who understood human nature. Her Uncle Tomming tactics..were merely that...survival techniques. It was the skillful way to act in the long run.
Mammy was the backbone and life preserver of the plantation. Her compassion and loving kindness were assets appreciated by not only the field hands but indeed the Master & Mistress as well. She loved the children in her care, as though they were her very own. I'm sure many grown-ups have a story to share about the kindness of their Mammy.
It is my desire to educate the masses, and see to it that Mammy finds her rightful place in our Rich heritage as Afro-Americans. She is as important to our Race as Martin Luther King, Harriet Tubman, and Rosa Parks. In fact whether we like it or not we all have Mammies running through our blood.
If we examined the 21st century, we could consider Oprah Winfrey a type of Mammy. Some people would consider this opinion blasphemy, but in my opinion, Oprah offers the very same thing to other cultures that Mammy did.... Love, Understanding...and a big shoulder to cry on.
May the spirit of Mammy live forever.
cj
Comments to Mammy article
Hello CJ,
I am Caucasian, but truly enjoyed reading the Tribute to Mammy. I am so sorry that so many do not have the insight to what the word "Mammy" means. I did not have a Mammy and I am from way down South. However, we did have some Black ladies working for my mother in her business. They help take care of the children in my mother's business and help around the house. That was my first introduction to the Afro-American race. I have some very good feeling about one lady.
What I miss seeing is the original "true" Aunt Jamina. She symbolized to me something warm, friendly and good. As a small child I could remember my grandmother using pancake mix from Aunt Jamina and I truly miss seeing her. It saddens me to this day when I see a modern version. It is almost like, "Let's forget the "real" Mammy." I would love to make something for a black lady in my daughter's church (she and I are lunch buddies) but I am discouraged for fear of insulting her.
As many Afro-Americans do not like "Mammy". I guess they feel the the white race should embrace Mammy for all she did for them and they resent that. Which I can understand. Anyway, I just had to write and say what is on my mind.
Thanks for "Mammy" - GabsHoney
I so enjoyed reading about Mammy. Our grandmother made my sister and I "Mammy" dolls when we were little and we loved them. Of course, I named mine Jemima. They were loved until they were rags. - Jacquie
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