Underground Racism


A lot of folks think that the Black Lawn Jockey is a symbol of racism. Well no. They were actually used as markers for the Underground Railway.

I knew this because my Quaker GGGrandfather’s farm was a stop on the Underground Railway and he suffered for it. When we traveled back and forth across the Mason-Dixon line when I was growing up, my Dad would give me a nickel for every lawn jockey I spotted and then use my interest as a time to teach the history of the struggle to protect the slaves, who had escaped North with the help of my Quaker ancestors and their friends..
I agree with the statement: “Oftentimes, PC insanity destroys meaningful history.”

The wiki attributes the creation of the Black Lawn Jockeys to George Washington who created the first one to honor a hero of the Revolutionary War.
So I guess honoring a Black hero is now proof of racism. Well OK. We can fix that.


I hope everyone is satisfied.
Cross Posted at Power and Control


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3 responses to “Underground Racism”

  1. Donna B. Avatar

    No, I didn’t know that. I’m grateful for the explanation.

  2. italtrav Avatar
    italtrav

    If you actually read the Wiki, it is skeptical on the truthiness of either the Geo. Washington or the underground railroad story.

  3. M. Simon Avatar

    italtrav,
    Which is why I quoted some one with a family remembrance on the subject.
    On the Geo. Washington bit I have to agree. Shaky ground there.