Lawn Jockey Question

[JaneBanks]

Not if people know anything about them and did some research.

http://myauctionfinds.com/2010/04/02/lawn-jockey-underground-railroad-and-a-collection/


Then he’d tell them the story of the lantern-holder (a term he preferred over lawn jockey): It was used at safe houses to guide “self-liberators” along the Underground Railroad. In Googling, I found a 1998 interview in which Blockson said, “Green ribbons were tied to the arms of the statue to indicate safety; red ribbons meant to keep going.” Sometimes, he added, a flag was placed in the hand to denote safety.

http://www.loudounhistory.org/history/underground-railroad-jockey-statues.htm

Most people shudder at the sight of a black lawn jockey.
Though sightings are pretty infrequent today, the yard ornaments that portray blacks in subservient roles have the power to gnaw insatiably at the spirit of blacks and to disgust others who are unaware of the furtive and notable role these "Jockos" played in the first half of the 19th century.

Jocko Graves lawn statue
But escaping slaves understood then that the jockey statue would guide them to the Underground Railroad and to freedom. (In Following the Drinking Gourd, the lyrics surreptitiously suggested slaves follow the "drinking gourd," a nickname for the Big Dipper, which pointed to the North Star and the way to freedom. Among other things, it advised that travel was safest in the spring – "when the sun comes back.")
The jockey, in a similarly secret way, pointed to safe houses along the Underground Railroad.

"These statues were used as markers on the Underground Railroad throughout the South into Canada," said historian/author Charles Blockson, curator of the Afro-American Collection at Temple University in Philadelphia. "Green ribbons were tied to the arms of the statue to indicate safety; red ribbons meant to keep going."
"People who don’t know the history of the jockey have feelings of humiliation and anger when they see the statue," he added. "But this figure which was sometimes used in a clandestine nature, and sometimes without the knowledge of the person who owned the statue, was a positive and supportive image to American-Americans on the road to freedom."

Google is your friend

Thank you for this. You learn something new everyday!

 

[Heidict]

If she has really been wanting one and you have been able to find one, then I would buy it for her. No matter what you do in this day and age someone is always going to be offended. I refuse to spend my live in a state of second guessing over who I might offend over every little move.

 

[akhenaten]

If lawn jockeys were so offensive.. I would think NYC's 21 club would have taken theirs down long ago...

http://static.orient-express.com/onyc/images/home/onyc_1000x560_home1.jpg

I agree the "jocko" style is offensive however so is Aunt Jemima and I think there are cookie jars etc. of her image that are quite expensive and collectable.


If your MIL is truly a collector and you do not believe she wants one to express a racist belief... I would get the affordable 40 year old one and not try and change the paint as that would devalue the collectable...

 

[akhenaten]

Not if people know anything about them and did some research.

http://myauctionfinds.com/2010/04/02/lawn-jockey-underground-railroad-and-a-collection/


Then he’d tell them the story of the lantern-holder (a term he preferred over lawn jockey): It was used at safe houses to guide “self-liberators” along the Underground Railroad. In Googling, I found a 1998 interview in which Blockson said, “Green ribbons were tied to the arms of the statue to indicate safety; red ribbons meant to keep going.” Sometimes, he added, a flag was placed in the hand to denote safety.

http://www.loudounhistory.org/history/underground-railroad-jockey-statues.htm

Most people shudder at the sight of a black lawn jockey.
Though sightings are pretty infrequent today, the yard ornaments that portray blacks in subservient roles have the power to gnaw insatiably at the spirit of blacks and to disgust others who are unaware of the furtive and notable role these "Jockos" played in the first half of the 19th century.

Jocko Graves lawn statue
But escaping slaves understood then that the jockey statue would guide them to the Underground Railroad and to freedom. (In Following the Drinking Gourd, the lyrics surreptitiously suggested slaves follow the "drinking gourd," a nickname for the Big Dipper, which pointed to the North Star and the way to freedom. Among other things, it advised that travel was safest in the spring – "when the sun comes back.")
The jockey, in a similarly secret way, pointed to safe houses along the Underground Railroad.

"These statues were used as markers on the Underground Railroad throughout the South into Canada," said historian/author Charles Blockson, curator of the Afro-American Collection at Temple University in Philadelphia. "Green ribbons were tied to the arms of the statue to indicate safety; red ribbons meant to keep going."
"People who don’t know the history of the jockey have feelings of humiliation and anger when they see the statue," he added. "But this figure which was sometimes used in a clandestine nature, and sometimes without the knowledge of the person who owned the statue, was a positive and supportive image to American-Americans on the road to freedom."

Google is your friend

But if you read further they question the validity of the green/red ribbon underground railroad story since apparently the common usage of red and green as meaning stop/go was not standardized until WWI by the railroads..



"Moreover, stories about the Underground Railroad using lawn jockeys as signals are rendered suspect by the fact that red and green as signal colors meaning "stop" and "go" (or "danger" and "safe") were standardized by railway signals during the World War I era. [3]"

 

[ZephyrHawk]

I cannot comment on the cost of lawn jockeys (or their level of tackiness), however, I can comment a bit on thier "racial" overtones. Yes, these days they are seen as insulting, but in the past (when they were first conceived as somewhat amusing hitching posts) they were not. This is because horse racing was the first, and for a long time the only, sport in which black athletes were allowed to participate. Famous jocks such as Jimmy Winkfeild and Isaac Murphy ruled the sport before the turn of the last century. In fact, for a very long time, there was a strong belief that African Americans made the best jockeys and that persons of European descent just couldn't get it done quite as well. Even after their jockey careers were over, many famous black jockeys went on to become famous horse trainers who owned their own stables. The very first Kentucky Derby (Aristides in 1875) was won by a black jockey. In that first field of 16 running for the roses, only one jockey was white.

 

[Janepod]

FYI, the jockeys at 21 are based on specific famous jockeys. Their skin/hair, silks, numbers. Who can argue with that? This was my dad's explanation 30+ years ago when I asked him about them (in teenage horror.)

So I'll give 21 a pass, but I wouldn't want one in my yard. And if I was house shopping and saw a neighbor with one it would be a huge turnoff.

 

[yoopermom]

zephyrhawk, thanks for the further explanation!

I love horses, and watch the few horse races that are televised nationally. My DH, not knowing anything about "lawn jockeys" except for the jockeys that he sees on tv when I watch it, asked why the lawn jockey isn't Latino, since so many of the current jockeys share that heritage. He didn't mean anything disrespectful, its just what he sees when he watches the races!

I told him if I could get one that looked like my favorite Cajun, Calvin Borel, I would consider it .

Thank you everyone for your opinions, dissenting or otherwise, really....

Terri

 

[akhenaten]

zephyrhawk, thanks for the further explanation!

I love horses, and watch the few horse races that are televised nationally. My DH, not knowing anything about "lawn jockeys" except for the jockeys that he sees on tv when I watch it, asked why the lawn jockey isn't Latino, since so many of the current jockeys share that heritage. He didn't mean anything disrespectful, its just what he sees when he watches the races!

I told him if I could get one that looked like my favorite Cajun, Calvin Borel, I would consider it .

Thank you everyone for your opinions, dissenting or otherwise, really....

Terri

Just looked at the craigs list one... I would go for it...especially if it is for the backyard...

 

[Luv'sTink]

But if you read further they question the validity of the green/red ribbon underground railroad story since apparently the common usage of red and green as meaning stop/go was not standardized until WWI by the railroads..



"Moreover, stories about the Underground Railroad using lawn jockeys as signals are rendered suspect by the fact that red and green as signal colors meaning "stop" and "go" (or "danger" and "safe") were standardized by railway signals during the World War I era. [3]"

So, what you are saying is dont believe the historian/author Charles Blockson, curator of the Afro-American Collection at Temple University in Philadelphia. Makes me wonder how he got that job, since he is so ill informed.

If she has really been wanting one and you have been able to find one, then I would buy it for her. No matter what you do in this day and age someone is always going to be offended. I refuse to spend my live in a state of second guessing over who I might offend over every little move.

I agree.

 

[akhenaten]

So, what you are saying is dont believe the historian/author Charles Blockson, curator of the Afro-American Collection at Temple University in Philadelphia. Makes me wonder how he got that job, since he is so ill informed.

I agree.

I am not saying what I believe or don't believe .. just posting more of a Googled article... perhaps the same source as yours ... If "google is your friend" you can't just ignore part of the article...

"Charles Blockson, curator of the Afro-American Collection at Temple University in Philadelphia, claims that the figures were used in the days of the Underground Railroad to guide escaping slaves to freedom: "Green ribbons were tied to the arms of the statue to indicate safety; red ribbons meant to keep going ... People who don’t know the history of the jockey have feelings of humiliation and anger when they see the statue..." [2] Blockson has installed an example of the statue at the entrance to the University's Sullivan Hall.
Neither the Revolutionary War nor the Civil War legends are corroborated by historical records. Mount Vernon's librarian Ellen McCallister Clark wrote in a letter to Baltimore's Enoch Pratt Free Library: "No record of anybody by the name of Jocko Graves, nor any account of somebody freezing to death holding Washington's horses, exists in the extensive historical record of the time." Nor do any of the many historical inventories and descriptions of Washington's estate mention any such statue. Moreover, stories about the Underground Railroad using lawn jockeys as signals are rendered suspect by the fact that red and green as signal colors meaning "stop" and "go" (or "danger" and "safe") were standardized by railway signals during the World War I era. [3]"

 

[PollyannaMom]

I don't really like them, and wouldn't buy it for myself. But since she wants it for her back yard, where nobody will see it who doesn't already know her and know she collects antiques, I think it would be OK. The people who will see it will understand what she likes about it and not assume any bad intent. (I would also agree with not altering it. I think that usually decreases the value of antiques.)

 

[CPT Tripss]

"Lawn Jockey" was/is equivalent to "Uncle Tom" . . .

Check out a expert that doubts the "heroic origin" stories of these decorations - http://www.ferris.edu/jimcrow/question/july08/