Punishing a Black Mammy
April 20, 1895
Summary
A black nanny is unjustly incarcerated for the mistreatment of her employer’s child.
Transcription
The incarceration of the colored woman, Lucindy Ray in the Henrico Co. jail upon the bogus charge of having ill-treated a five-year-old white child, which she has been raising for unknown white parents is an outrage. The woman should not only have been instantly released, but the white people who are so wrought up should have contributed money for the support of the child in question.
Lucindy Ray was arrested Friday, April 12, 1895 and on Saturday April 13th, her case was continued until Saturday, April 20.
She explains that the sores on the back of the little one were not caused by whipping, for they break out every Spring. She had tried to cure them and failed. The physician who examined the child seemed to coincide with this statement. Much talk has been indulged in with reference to the poverty-stricken condition of both the colored woman and the child, and is it surprising?
No doubt, it has been exceedingly difficult for her to get bread to eat. The causes of all of this agitation is due to the fact that a colored woman is raising it, and the white child calls her mother.
If the authorities of Henrico County are going into this business, they had might as well make a heavy annual appropriation, for the white men are not at all backward in furnishing waifs of this description for black mammies to support.
There are few settlements of Virginians of African descent; but what overtures are made for the taking care of some baby which the father and mother are unwilling to provide for at home, and which cannot honorably bear the family name.
Proceed on, gentlemen with your persecution of Lucindy Ray, and when prominent and even humble citizens find upon their door steps evidences of their sin which some faithful black mammy for a nominal consideration has been hiding away and stood readily to care for during her life-time, you will realize your mistake. Punish Lucindy Ray, if you will and commotion will ensue among this class of people, and trouble will be in store for more than one man and woman in this commonwealth.
The highways and hedges will become alive with colored folks, and secrets will be brought forth which had been presumed to be silenced forevermore.
Lucindy Ray was arrested Friday, April 12, 1895 and on Saturday April 13th, her case was continued until Saturday, April 20.
She explains that the sores on the back of the little one were not caused by whipping, for they break out every Spring. She had tried to cure them and failed. The physician who examined the child seemed to coincide with this statement. Much talk has been indulged in with reference to the poverty-stricken condition of both the colored woman and the child, and is it surprising?
No doubt, it has been exceedingly difficult for her to get bread to eat. The causes of all of this agitation is due to the fact that a colored woman is raising it, and the white child calls her mother.
If the authorities of Henrico County are going into this business, they had might as well make a heavy annual appropriation, for the white men are not at all backward in furnishing waifs of this description for black mammies to support.
There are few settlements of Virginians of African descent; but what overtures are made for the taking care of some baby which the father and mother are unwilling to provide for at home, and which cannot honorably bear the family name.
Proceed on, gentlemen with your persecution of Lucindy Ray, and when prominent and even humble citizens find upon their door steps evidences of their sin which some faithful black mammy for a nominal consideration has been hiding away and stood readily to care for during her life-time, you will realize your mistake. Punish Lucindy Ray, if you will and commotion will ensue among this class of people, and trouble will be in store for more than one man and woman in this commonwealth.
The highways and hedges will become alive with colored folks, and secrets will be brought forth which had been presumed to be silenced forevermore.
About this article
Source
Location on Page
Lower Left Quadrant
Topic
Contributed By
Cord Fox
Citation
“Punishing a Black Mammy,” Black Virginia: The Richmond Planet, 1894-1909, accessed April 21, 2026, https://blackvirginia.richmond.edu/items/show/1391.