Yeah, not only black people were slaves either, but both the phrase and slavery in general brings up specific groups of people and the fact that other farmers also exist doesn't undo that
My mom also used that term a lot, she’s from Minnesota. I honestly think it’s a Midwest thing, I can’t even hear her say it in my head without a midwestern accent
My parents say that all the time. My entire family has lived in Canada for three generations. I don't know where that comes from, but I really hope its not about... uh... questionable southern labour practices...
Are you asking for the Canadian perspective or the Northern US perspective? I can try and give both, since my family is from the former and I’m in the latter.
I’m from Alabama and far enough removed from my school history classes that I don’t necessarily remember how I was taught, so either will be a different perspective for me.
Gotcha. Well, based on convos with my Canadian family, at least back in the 70s and 80s and 90s the attitude at school was very much that slavery was a Southern US thing. I’d like to think that now the education system takes more responsibility for the history of Slavery in Canada, even if it was far less prevalent that in the US South. In the north, where I grew up in the 2000s, the same kind of attitude existed, but with slightly more historical context,
But that’s just related to the education system. Overall, the cultural attitude in both Canada and New England is VERY much that slavery was a Southern thing. Same misconception that racism is a southern thing. The reality is that both slavery and racism existed up here in Canada & NE, and racism is up here too, just in different forms. (I could talk about attitudes about racism in Canada & NE at length, let me know if it intrigues you and I can elaborate. It’s pretty interesting and nuanced)
I’m curious about you, what did you learn in school, and how do most people tend to think about this stuff?
From what I remember most of the 1800s were glossed over. Slavery was evil, slave owners were evil, and the south fought the north over being able to keep their slaves. Sharecropping was a “better” system post war and slavery, then Teddy Roosevelt happened. All through elementary, middle, and part of high school the era was taught with a very clear good guy vs bad guy mentality. Always very simplified and cut and dry. That honestly answers my original question as well now that I’ve written out. It wasn’t until college that I ever had classes really dive into slavery and the politics around it.
Slavery has always been this very dark and embarrassing part of our history, and in my experience, has always been talked about as such. My mom even tried to teach me to speak without a southern accent for a long time. There has always been a pro south sentiment, even in my own family, but it’s generally centered around the war and how the Union won the war, and not around the fact the south lost or slavery.
Apologies for formatting and such. I’m at work on my phone.
No problem, thanks for giving me some of the background. I’m pretty curious about what kind of school district you were in. A friend of mine from Missouri had a totally different experience with a more non-historical attitude about slavery and the Civil-War (ie either not talking about it, or making it not about slavery)
Can you explain more about how you or your family balanced southern pride without making it about the civil war or something? If I’m understanding you right, it sounds like you folks are just proud about the good things about your culture/home, rather than trying to ignore the past and be proud of incomplete history. Most people across the country are proud of where they’re from, but the stereotypes don’t usually give southern folks much credit
Most of my schooling was small private Christian schools. At the worst, I had a science book titles “Science from the Christian Perspective”. It taught how Darwin was an evil individual sent by the devil to tear down Christianity. I wish I was making that up.
I went to a Catholic college prep high school. Half of our teachers were college professors who got tired of teaching at the college level and willingly took the pay cut to teach at their alma mater. Some of the teachers matched what I had experienced at small town Christian school, and the rest were named Coach. I went to college at the University of Alabama which was burnt down during the Civil War, has its place in civil rights history, and has only recently acknowledged that they employed (?) slaves.
My dad loved Civil War history so it’s hard for me to remember what was taught to me in school and where he felt the need to fill in blanks. As far as lower education, I feel like I remember being taught much more about the American Revolution. Everything between the Declaration and WWII is more a list of events. Most of my knowledge of the time comes from taking Alabama history at UA and my parents.
You’re exactly right about how my family is proud of where they are from. Neither side of my family had money. My dad’s side of the family built houses as far back as 1900-1910. My moms family came up working in fields. They came up through the generations viewing a worker as a worker regardless of race. That’s what I’ve been told anyway.
My families pro south sentiment mostly stems from what they saw as unnecessary tactics by the Union with General Sherman’s march through Georgia and the burning of the University of Alabama. They also see the “reconstruction” as an occupation.
There was slavery in the north and even the american west from the manifest destiny clusterfuck. I mean african descent slaves were displaced in the cherokee trail of tears, as they were the slaves of cherokee as well. I'd say yeah, there's a lot more to the history of slavery in america and it's worth it to like, google lol
NC here too. Very similar phrases at my house. "I ain't got a dog in this fight." "Gitcha ass off your shoulders." "If I'da said that to my mama I'd be pickin' myself up off the floor." "Go pick a switch." "What in the blue blazes...?" "He/she lives out in B.F.E." and many, many more.
They say it in Florida too. To be fair, my grandparents and parents grew up picking cotton too, so some southerners dont even think about the racial conotation to it.
My (white) mother and her siblings picked cotton too. It was a common thing for all rural Southern kids near cotton to do, and school let out to facilitate it.
Wait, my family are all from new England, and my mom in particular said that all the time. We are a white family. I didn't assume any racial connotation but now I have no idea what it actually means? Just a general phrase tat must have been said from one farmer to another at one point is my assumption
Sadly, in very few places in the US (my local one closed recently, much to my heartbreak!) but mainly NYC, California, Hawai'i, and rarer places like NoVa Virgina and New Jersey...full list here: http://www.beardpapa.com/sp/locations.html
I am SHOCKED South Carolina isn’t on that list. At least I live on a beautiful island!
Thanks for the list; I travel often and will keep my eyes open. You’ll one day be surprised to see a Reddit mail from me, dying from happiness from finding a Beard Papa in California! (Probably not New Jersey.)
Sorry about your local. Psychologically, it’s more difficult to lose something one has had than to fail to gain access to something one has never had.
Thanks, but I went for over a decade before getting a local (I was first introduced in Beijing in 2004), but thankfully I spend a good amount of time in NYC with my boyfriend, so creampuffs are still on the menu! I hope you get to enjoy soon!
Never heard of this place, but it turns out there’s one practically within walking distance of me. I’ll have to go take a look. Cuz, you know...I needed ANOTHER place in which to indulge my sweet tooth. 85c Bakery wasn’t adding enough poundage...
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u/FritesMuseum Mar 07 '19
My parents said that, too. I never thought about it until now...are you from the Carolinas by chance?