A letter from a black migrant woman

Dear Ms. Kellor and Ms. Hunter,

I have recently read some of your written pieces discussing the dangerous sexuality of black migrant women. As a black woman who recently traveled here from the South, I wish to explain to you the aspects of the black female migrant “problem” of which you seem to be uninformed.

Firstly, I do appreciate the initiatives both of you have taken in order to help black women in this new urban context. I understand that you are both striving to protect us and keep us from being taken advantage of, sexually and otherwise. However, I don’t think either of you truly understand the life of working class black women in the city. Ms. Kellor, you act as though as black migrant women are inherently sexually deviant. Not only do your writings suggest that we need protection from exploitive employment agencies, but you seem to think we need protection from ourselves. I will tell you now that if women like me could get clean jobs, like sit behind a desk as a secretary, we would be doing it. But the reality is we don’t have those options available to us. While you may think you are acting with the upmost benevolence, your language is creating a dangerous image of black women like me.

And Ms. Hunter, I again wish to recognize your efforts in helping black migrant women in this city. But again, I think that your detachment from the reality of working class black life is impeding your understanding of the underline problems we are facing. Nightclubs and dance halls are not the reasons for the so-called “unrestrained animality” of which you accuse us. The truth is that as a black woman headed for the middle class black bourgeoisie, your accusations only work to draw clearer distinctions between our social classes. While I recognize your intentions to help, you are alienated many women of your race.

I hope that my words will give you some insight into my world as a black migrant woman and make you rethink how you chose to describe women like me.

Sincerely,

A working class black woman

Questions:

1. During this time period in various urban locations, was the black bourgeoisie really just trying to distinguish themselves by painting such an unsavory picture of lower class blacks? Or were they really just trying to “uplift” the race in the best way they knew how?

2. The image of “the tragic mulatto” seems to be represented in both black and white literature of the early 20^th century. What were the motivations for perpetuating this image within both racial groups?