Miss Ann

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

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.^[2]

In popular culture

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 a Miss Ann’s scrubbing." -Maya Angelou, Sepia Fashion Show^[3]

See also

• House Negro
• Mister Charlie
• Uncle Tom

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. p. 208. ISBN 9780275991821.
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