Mammy

Being part of two marginalized groups historically deemed inferior, Black women are distinct from Black men or White women. The binary conceptualization of Black and White womanhood assigned Black women as ‘bad womanhood’ consisting of all the negative traits of disgrace, whereas White women were attributed all the idealized aspects of “true womanhood” (Parker, 2005, p. 34). Racial and discriminatory representations of Black womanhood are centred on derogatory images such as the Mammy or Jezebel; consequently, they encounter distinctive and unexplored barriers that inhibit their career and leadership development. Drawing on the works of Patricia Parker on Black women leadership as well as Yvonne Due Billing and Mats Alevesson on feminine leadership, this paper hopes to delineate the distorted conceptualization of Black women. Primarily, it will map out how the Mammy image has influenced and affected the modern-day professional Black women. As Parker (2005) suggests, the Mammy image has had a profoundly derogatory, dehumanizing characterization of Black women; thus, the stereotype became a rationalization for economic discrimination.

The existence of a Mammy archetype has implications for cross-racial and cross-gender interactions. It shapes people’s relationships with Black female leaders with unrealistic expectations and imposed norms such as Black women being seen as less intelligent or articulate than their White counterparts, willing to take care of everyone or thing without questions, resilient/strong, therefore, her feelings cannot be offended or the angry Black woman or sex object stereotype. The presence of these standards may be subtle but, nevertheless, it significantly influences individuals’ interactions with Black women. Being conscious of this standard, Black women become concerned about expressing feelings and behaviours at work for fear of being misinterpreted or labeled. For example, in speaking to a Black female professional who works for a