Miss Ann

Miss Ann is an expression used inside the African-American community, to refer to a European-American woman (or sometimes a black woman) who is arrogant and condescending in her attitude.

For the former US Navy patrol boat, see USS Aquamarine.

The characteristics associated with someone called a "Miss Ann" include being considered "uppity", or in the case of a black woman, "acting white".[1]

Like the male counterpart term, Mister Charlie, the term Miss Ann was once common among many African-Americans. It was a pejorative way of commenting on imperious behaviour from white women, particularly when it came with racist undertones. It is seldom used among young African-Americans today, instead the term “Karen” has come into further usage amongst people of all races in the USA.[2]

Miss Anne: “A White Woman” —Zora Neale Hurston, Glossary of Harlem Slang

Ann; Miss Ann: Coded term for any white female. [i.e.] “His mama washes clothes on Wednesday for Miss Ann.” —Clarence Major, From Juba to Jive: A Dictionary of African-American Slang

Ann: (1) A derisive term for a white woman. . . . Also “Miss Ann.” —Geneva Smitherman, Black Talk

Miss Ann and Mister Eddie: Emancipated bluebloods. —Taylor Gordon, Born to Be

"I’d remind them please, look at those knees, you got at Miss Ann’s scrubbing." -Maya Angelou, Sepia Fashion Show[3]

"Oh, oh, oh, Miss Ann, you're doing something no one can..." – "Miss Ann" song by Little Richard. Here the singer may be referring to the white woman, Ann Johnson, who mothered him as a young teenager, twisting the standard connotation in ambiguous ways.[4]

See also

References
  1. Bertho, Michelle and Beverley Crawford, Edward A. Fogarty (2008). The Impact of Globalization on the United States: Culture and society, Volume 1. Greenwood Publishing Group. pp. 208. ISBN 9780275991821.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. Jaynes, Gerald David (2005). Encyclopedia of African American society, Volume 2. Sage Publications. p. 551. ISBN 9780761927648.
  3. Kaplan, Carla. Miss Anne in Harlem. New York: Harper, 2013. ISBN 0060882387
  4. Lhamon, W.T. (1985). "LITTLE RICHARD AS A FOLK PERFORMER". Studies in Popular Culture. 8 (2): 7–17. ISSN 0888-5753. JSTOR 23412946.
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