Images that people once considered funny and funny are now considered very offensive and racist. Over eighty years ago, The Mammy was thought to be one of the most enduring images of the African American woman. Mammy was born out of slavery and the position of black women in the interweaving of social relationships in a biracial slave society. The boundaries of acceptable and unacceptable behavior of black women have been defined. However, as time passed, the image of Mummy became very negative. It has become a difference between whites and blacks, for blacks it is a separation from who they are and where they come from and for whites it is an image that is used in entertainment productions. Mammy has a truly unique physical appearance, has justified the racist economic system, and has become a major staple of literature and television. Is this a simple depiction of an African American housekeeper or is it a racist stereotype perpetuated in popular culture since the days of slavery? First and foremost, the image of the mother is one that will never be forgotten. His physical presence suggests strength and bodily power, highlighted by his ability to work hard without showing signs of tiredness. She is usually very fat, very dark, and wears a bandana and a beaming smile as a sign of how much she enjoys her downtrodden position. Mammies' appearance ennobles who he is and what he represents. Developed after World War I, Mammy became the historical figure of the African-American woman (Rhodes). It has become a symbol of “oppressive social relations based on race, gender, and class” (Thomas). One of the most important aspects of Mammy's figure is her submission and docility. Mammy was a slave who posed no threat to the White family or the power structure of slavery. She is conventionally appreciated for her reassuring kindness, like an armed warrior. Along with the brush in his right hand, he holds a weapon in his left hand. She is someone who will do what she is told to do. It is very easy to teach her certain skills and she will follow them to the fullest. She is the faithful, sexless, obedient servant, happy to serve the whites and take care of their children. She might be strong-willed, domineering and domineering at times, but in today's society she is easily put in her place by a glance or a ve...... middle of paper ......d controlled through the radio and the television . Seen in roles like The Beulah Show, she was played by women who others would pay attention to. Over time, Mammy has become both a representation of an African-American housekeeper and a racist stereotype. Mammy, a power not to be underestimated and a figure to be respected. Works Cited Bogle, Donald. “Losing the Race: Self-Sabotage in Black America.” Primetime Blues: African Americans on Network Television March 5, 2001: 520. eLibrary. College of the Canyons Library, Santa Clarita, CA. April 16, 2002 Edwards, Bob and Joshua Levs. Southern women and memories of slavery, part one. Morning edition December 28, 1998. eLibrary. College of the Canyons Library, Santa Clarita, CA. April 16, 2002 Rhodes, Chip. Slave in a Box: The Strange Career of Aunt Jemima. The Journal of American History December 15, 2000. Proquest. College of the Canyons Library, Santa Clarita, CA. April 16, 2002Thomas, Sabrina Lynette. “Slave in a Box: The Strange Career of Aunt Jemima.” Transforming Anthropology December 15, 2001. Proquest. College of the Canyons Library, Santa Clarita, CA. April 16 2002