Into the twentieth century (Turner, 1994, p. The stage Topsy and her imitators remained popular from the early 1850s well No longer a sympathetic figure, Topsy became, simply, a harmlessĬoon. Ragged clothes, but these traits were transformed into comic props-as was her misuse Topsy was still dirty, with kinky hair and The stage Topsy, unlike Stowe's version, was a happy, mirthfulĬharacter who reveled in her misfortune. Topsy, for example, was soon a staple character While leading some Americans to question the morality of slavery, was used by others Help end slavery - which, she believed, produced many similar children. Stowe hoped that readers would be heartbroken by the tribulations of Topsy, and would Garment, made of bagging and stood with her hands demurely folded in front of her.Īltogether, there was something odd and goblin-like about her appearance - somethingĪs Miss Ophelia afterwards said, "so heathenish." (p. She was dressed in a single filthy, ragged Of the most doleful gravity and solemnity. Of shrewdness and cunning, over which was oddly drawn, like a veil, an expression The expression of her face was an odd mixture Her woolly hair was braided in sundry little tails, Mouth half open with astonishment at the wonders of the new Mas'r's parlor, displayedĪ white and brilliant set of teeth. Glass beads, moved with quick and restless glances over everything in the room. She was one of the blackest of her race and her round, shining eyes, glittering as Who had been indelibly corrupted by slavery. Topsy was created to show the evils of slavery.
Topsy appeared in Harriet Beecher Stowe's anti-slavery novel Uncle Tom's Cabin. The first famous picaninny was Topsy - a poorly dressed, disreputable, neglected Picaninnies were portrayed as nameless, shiftless natural buffoons runningįrom alligators and toward fried chicken.
They were routinely shown on postcards, posters, and other ephemera being chased orĮaten. They were themselves tasty morsels for alligators. Picaninnies had bulging eyes, unkempt hair, red lips, and wide mouths into which they They were "child coons," miniature versions of Stepin Fetchit (see Pilgrim (2000)). The picaninny 1 was the dominant racial caricature of black children for most of this country's history.
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