History Main / Mammy

* Eufrosina, the mother of ComicBook/MeminPinguin is a poor Cuban-Mexican woman that worked as a maid before getting married to Guillermo Pinguin. After his husband´s dead, she migrated to Mexico City and live with her son in poor conditions, washing clothes from other people for a living. In old editions she doesn´t know how to read or write, while her knowledge improved in the newest editions, even barely to understand Memin´s score table after the exams.

* Zig-zagged with the unnamed woman commonly (and erroneously) known as Mammy Two-Shoes from the ''WesternAnimation/TomAndJerry'' shorts, voiced by Lillian Randolph. While she's never depicted as being servile towards white people, William Hanna and Joseph Barbera specifically designed her as a housekeeper. But when the Civil Rights Movement led to demands for the removal of offensive stereotypes in the media, Mammy was repainted white and dubbed by Creator/JuneForay in an Irish accent. This lasted until the late 80's when ''Tom and Jerry'' was acquired by Creator/{{TBS}}. They made Mammy black again, but implied that she was the homeowner by having her wear jewelry around the house instead of an apron, and her voice was dubbed by comedian Thea Vidale with a more tasteful accent and speech patterns. For people born in the 80's and later, ''this'' is the version of Tom's owner they're most familiar with, causing many to wonder what was controversial about her when they hadn't seen her original portrayal.

* Zig-zagged with the unnamed woman commonly (and erroneously) known as Mammy Two-Shoes from the ''WesternAnimation/TomAndJerry'' shorts, voiced by Lillian Randolph. While she's never depicted as being servile towards white people, William Hanna and Joseph Barbera specifically designed her as a housekeeper. But when the Civil Rights Movement led to demands for the removal of offensive black stereotypes in the media, Mammy was repainted white and dubbed by Creator/JuneForay in an Irish accent. This lasted until the 1980's when ''Tom and Jerry'' was acquired by Creator/{{TBS}}. They made Mammy black again, but implied that she was the homeowner by having her wear jewelry around the house instead of an apron, and her voice was dubbed by comedian Thea Vidale with a more tasteful accent and speech patterns. For people born in the 80's and later, ''this'' is the version of Tom's owner that they're most familiar with, causing many to wonder what was offensive about her when they hadn't seen her original portrayal.

* Zig-zagged with the unnamed woman commonly (and erroneously) known as Mammy Two-Shoes from the ''WesternAnimation/TomAndJerry'' shorts, voiced by Lillian Randolph. While she's never depicted as being servile towards white people, William Hanna and Joseph Barbera specifically designed her as a housekeeper. But when the Civil Rights Movement led to demands for the removal of offensive black stereotypes in the media, Mammy was repainted white and dubbed by Creator/JuneForay in an Irish accent. This lasted until the 1980's when ''Tom and Jerry'' was acquired by Creator/{{TBS}}. They made Mammy black again, but implied that she was the homeowner by having her wear jewelry around the house instead of an apron, and her voice was dubbed by comedian Thea Vidale with a more tasteful accent and speech patterns. For people born in the 80's and later, ''this'' is the version of Tom's owner that they're most familiar with, causing many to wonder what was offensive about her when they hadn't seen the original shorts.

* Zig-zagged with the unnamed woman commonly (and erroneously) known as Mammy Two-Shoes from the ''WesternAnimation/TomAndJerry'' shorts, voiced by Lillian Randolph. While she's never depicted as being servile towards white people, William Hanna and Joseph Barbera specifically designed her as a housekeeper. But when the Civil Rights Movement led to demands for the removal of offensive black stereotypes in the media, Mammy was repainted white and dubbed by Creator/JuneForay in an Irish accent. This lasted until the 1980's when ''Tom and Jerry'' was acquired by Creator/{{TBS}}. They made Mammy black again, but implied that she was the homeowner by having her wear jewelry around the house instead of an apron, and she was voiced by comedian Thea Vidale with a more tasteful accent and speech patterns. For people born in the 80's and later, ''this'' is the version of Tom's owner that they're most familiar with, causing many to wonder what was offensive about her when they hadn't seen the original shorts.

* Zig-zagged with the unnamed woman commonly (and erroneously) known as Mammy Two-Shoes from the ''WesternAnimation/TomAndJerry'' shorts, voiced by Lillian Randolph. While she's never depicted as being servile towards white people, William Hanna and Joseph Barbera specifically designed her as a housekeeper. But when the Civil Rights Movement led to demands for the removal of offensive black stereotypes in the media, Mammy was repainted white and dubbed by Creator/JuneForay in an Irish accent. This lasted until the 1980's when ''Tom and Jerry'' was acquired by Creator/{{TBS}}. They made Mammy black again, but implied that she was the homeowner by having her wear jewelry around the house instead of an apron, and she was voiced by comedian Thea Vidale with a more tasteful accent and speech patterns.

* Zig-zagged with the unnamed woman commonly (and erroneously) known as Mammy Two-Shoes from the ''WesternAnimation/TomAndJerry'' shorts, voiced by Lillian Randolph. While she's never depicted as being servile towards white people, William Hanna and Joseph Barbera specifically designed her as a housekeeper. But when the Civil Rights Movement led to demands for the removal of offensive black stereotypes in the media, Mammy was repainted white and dubbed by Creator/JuneForay in an Irish accent. This lasted until the 1980's when ''Tom & Jerry'' was acquired by Creator/{{TBS}}. They made Mammy black again, but implied that she was the homeowner by having her wear jewelry around the house instead of an apron, and she was voiced by comedian Thea Vidale with a more tasteful accent and speech patterns.

* The unnamed maid-- commonly (and erroneously) known as Mammy Two-Shoes-- from the ''WesternAnimation/TomAndJerry'' shorts, voiced by Lillian Randolph. While she's never depicted as being servile towards white people, William Hanna and Joseph Barbera specifically designed her as a housekeep rather than the homeowner, though they quietly shifted to implying the latter as time passed. [[{{Bowdlerize}} When the shorts are aired on television,]] Mammy is sometimes repainted white and dubbed by Creator/JuneForay in an Irish accent.

* Deconstructed with Nell from ''Series/GimmeABreak'', as this trope was a hard sell in the early 80's when the Mammy archetype was long outdated. She was initially the housekeeper for a widowed police chief and mother-figure to his three teenage daughters, but she was a friend of the late wife/mother ''before'' taking the job. And since she's the central character of the series, she is shown with her own friends, family, and dating life. When the Chief's actor Dolph Sweet passed away between Seasons 4 and 5, TheCharacterDiedWithHim and the show was {{retool}}ed to focus more on Nell. Eventually the daughters were written out as they moved on with their adult lives, and in the final season Nell moved to New York City and took a desk job at a publishing company.[[note]]At one point late in the 6th season, Nell visited the youngest daughter at her college. The showrunners considered having Nell take a job at the girl's boardinghouse as the House Mom, but it was decided to instead have her leave domestic work altogether to be more in line with the growing trend of sitcoms focusing on Black professionals.[[/note]] In fact, this trope was lampshaded as early as the third season when Nell's friend Addy, a college professor, appears at the family house and meets the daughters. She tells them that she's proud to have a successful career and to show the world that black women aren't just "a bunch of Aunt Jemimas"...and in walks Nell [[InstantlyProvenWrong carrying a basket of laundry while wearing a kerchief]].

The Mammy is a middle-aged, often overweight black woman employed as a domestic servant to a rich white family, usually as a maid, cook, or nanny. OlderThanRadio, {{Subtrope}} of EthnicMenialLabor, Mammy was born in the DeepSouth of UsefulNotes/AntebellumAmerica, but continued to be a presence for a century after the UsefulNotes/AmericanCivilWar and is also "popular" in Cuba. During slavery, she was largely resigned to her enslavement, perhaps even finding HappinessInSlavery, likely owing to the fact that she worked in "The Big House" rather than toiling in the fields. After Emancipation, Mammy continued to serve as a menial domestic to whites and continued to aspire to little higher (though she may have wanted more for her own children if more options were available to them). In her freedom, she may have also moved north, although her position and character are largely unchanged whether she lives in rural Georgia or UsefulNotes/{{Chicago}}.

* South African cartoon strip ''ComicStrip/MadamAndEve'', in which a black maid/housekeeper does not always show the approved degree of respect for her [[AmoralAfrikaner white employer]].

* Hannah from [[Anime/AiNoWakakusaMonogatari 1987 anime adaptation]] of ''Literature/LittleWomen'' was given a RaceLift from Irish to African-American, and is stylized this way (without {{Blackface}} fortunately). The show gives her a bit of a [[ServileSnarker snarky]] but loving personality, and is [[WhyDidItHaveToBeSnakes terrified of cats]].

* South African cartoon strip "Madam and Eve", in which a black maid/housekeeper does not always show the approved degree of respect for her [[AmoralAfrikaner white employer]].

* In the Literature/{{Discworld}} of Creator/AAPessimal, [[AmoralAfrikaner Johanna Smith-Rhodes]] is married with children and lives in Ankh-Morpork. Well-meaning relatives have provided her with servants, as befits a Woman of Status. all of them are Black Howondalandian and used to service to white people. Johanna's long-standing cook, Dorothea, fits the Mammy stereotype in all respects. Johanna even finds herself cleaning the kitchen one day at Dorothea's implicit request. [[note]]An interesting bird has got itself trapped in the kitchen. Birds have no bowel control. Dorothea knows her employer is an academic zoologist and knows all about birds and guano. Therefore, Madam, the cleaning materials are in the cupboard underneath the sink.[[/note]]

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
%%* Cameron's Mammy from ''Film/{{The Birth of a Nation|1915}}''.

* [=Hattie McDaniel=] made a career out of playing these kinds of roles, including Malena Burns in ''Literature/AliceAdams'', Fidelia in ''Film/SinceYouWentAway'', Callie in ''Film/TheyDiedWithTheirBootsOn'', and most famously as Mammy in ''Film/GoneWithTheWind''[[note]]For which she won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar.[[/note]]. She's also in Disney's ''Film/SongOfTheSouth''. She played a mammy for Creator/ShirleyTemple's character in ''Film/TheLittleColonel''. In ''Film/{{Saratoga}}'' her character says she'd go after Creator/ClarkGable's character if only he were the right color. When asked if she felt degraded taking so many gigs as a domestic, [=McDaniel=] replied, "Why should I complain about [[MoneyDearBoy making $700 a week playing a maid]]? If I didn't, I'd make $7 a week ''being'' one."
** She also played Beulah on radio and TV.

* Delilah in both film versions of ''Imitation Of Life'', but especially [[Film/ImitationOfLife1934 the 1934 original]]. The 1959 version by Creator/DouglasSirk is in fact a {{Deconstruction}}. In both versions she is the [[HeterosexualLifePartners best friend]] of Bea and they raise their children together. Unlike most "mammy" type characters she has her own storyline and character development.
* In ''Film/{{Master}}'', Gale is the first Black woman to be appointed as "master" of a residence hall at the prestigious Ancaster University. When she is unpacking, she finds, of all things, a mammy figurine, reminding her of how far things have ''not'' come.
* Gussy from ''Literature/MrBlandingsBuildsHisDreamHouse''.
* Annie in ''Film/ItsAWonderfulLife'', with a healthy helping of humor and genuine affection toward and from her employers.

* In ''Film/{{Hallelujah}}'' Zeke's mother is actually called Mammy, and she looks and dresses the part. But it's subverted to some extent as she is the mother of a family of poor cotton farmers, not a servant to a white person.

* Dinah in the "Bobbsey Twins" series, especially the original series. Later revisions downplayed but did not eliminate the stereotype.

* Deconstructed in ''Literature/{{Kindred}}'' by Creator/OctaviaButler. The mammy-esque slave Sarah finds what happiness she can, but beneath that facade is bone-deep rage and pain over a lifetime of servitude in which all but one of her children were sold away from her. It's presented not as surrender but as one of the ways that the plantation slaves weather unendurable horror.
* ''Literature/TheSouthernBookClubsGuideToSlayingVampires'': Mrs Green is one and it's one of the most polarizing elements of the story. Is she a deconstruction because she's supposed to show how out of touch the wealthy white women are from Mrs Green's deprived "ghetto" life, or is she actually a reconstruction because she still forgives them and shows the mammy's caring for upper-class white society along with her extreme competence and domestic servitude?

* The titular Mama from ''Series/ThatsMyMama.''

* ''Series/ScreamQueens2015'' had Ms. Bean, a [[Characters/ScreamQueensKappaKappaTau sorority]] housekeeper given the nickname "White Mammy", who was ordered to say "I don't know nothing about birthing babies" by sorority president Chanel Oberlin.
* Louanne in ''Series/BoardwalkEmpire'', maidservant to the Commodore. He's abusive and racist towards her, and [[spoiler:she eventually tries to poison him to death with arsenic. It's also revealed that he had left everything to her in his will, but it's unclear if she knew about that, and Jimmy destroys the will.]]
* In one episode of ''Series/ADifferentWorld'', the school holds an art exhibition dedicated to the mammy. Kimberly is quite opposed to this, and it is eventually revealed to be due to a bad incident from her childhood in which she dressed as an African queen for Halloween and won first prize...for her Aunt Jemima costume.

* Also found with Birdie in Radio/TheGreatGildersleeve, getting more egregious in later seasons.

* The aptly named Macha from ''VideoGame/ChronoCross'', which is odd given the lighter complexion and lack of African features in her son Korcha (her daughter Mel is adopted).

* In ''WesternAnimation/DrawnTogether'', prolonged exposure to Captain Hero's X-ray vision causes Foxxy to develop a brain tumor on her stereotype gland, turning her into a Mammy, which makes her a target for the Bureau of Cartoon Political Correctness.

* Audrey's housekeeper from ''WesternAnimation/LittleAudrey''. Quite a FairForItsDay portrayal, since even though she's a bit harsh on Audrey, she plays the role as the OnlySaneMan, plus she's always right at the end.
* ''WesternAnimation/JorelsBrother'' was based on the show creator's family, so one of the main characters was based on a housemaid he knew. The character, named Rose, was a middle-aged overweight black woman, which fit this trope and thus, got censored from the show. Due to the series already using several magical surreal elements, the character was changed to a talking octopus (referencing the fact she has to multitask and use several hands at once) and got her role greatly reduced, in order to avoid this trope.

* Subverted by Lenora "the natural born mama" from ''VideoGame/PokemonBlackAndWhite''. She's not a mammy in profession (she's an archeologist), but definitely by character design, and she's the TeamMom of the Gym Leaders. Part of the reason she drapes her apron (which makes her look rather round) over her back instead in the US release (revealing a slimmer but still much more full bodied figure than the standard Pokemon woman). The apron was also edited out of the [[Anime/{{Pokemon}} anime]] and the ''Manga/PokemonAdventures'' manga in the US. Also may be part of the reason she was one of the replaced gym leaders in the main story of ''VideoGame/PokemonBlack2AndWhite2'', and the only one that can't be battled outside of the World Tournament.

* Aunt Jemima from the Quaker Oats Company's brand, primarily their line of pancake mixes and syrup, was originally a character from MinstrelShows in the late 1800's and became one of the oldest advertising trademarks in American history. After the USefulNotes/CivilRightsMovement saw massive changes in how African-Americans were treated and represented in the media, Jemima was redesigned in the early '80's to nix the "Mammy" imagery, giving her a natural hairstyle and pearls to insinuate that she is a homemaker rather than a servant. But in 2021, following the race riots the year before, Quaker retired Aunt Jemima altogether and rechristened their pancake line after its original parent, the Pearl Milling Company. While some decried the change as needlessly politically correct since Aunt Jemima had been portrayed tastefully for almost 40 years, there was no undoing her racist origins, and Quaker thought it best to finally put the brand behind them.

* Aunt Jemima from the Quaker Oats Company's brand, primarily their line of pancake mixes and syrup, was originally a character from MinstrelShows in the late 1800's and became one of the oldest advertising trademarks in American history. After the 1960's and 70's saw massive changes in how African-Americans were treated and represented in the media, Jemima was redesigned in the early '80's to nix the "Mammy" imagery, giving her a natural hairstyle and pearls to insinuate that she is a homemaker rather than a servant. But in 2021, following the race riots the year before, Quaker retired Aunt Jemima altogether and rechristened their pancake line after its original parent, the Pearl Milling Company. While some decried the change as needlessly politically correct since Aunt Jemima had been portrayed tastefully for almost 40 years, there was no undoing her racist origins, and Quaker thought it best to finally put the brand behind them.

* Aunt Jemima from the Quaker Oats Company's brand, primarily their line of pancake mixes and syrup, was originally a character from MinstrelShows in the late 1800's and became one of the longest advertising trademarks in American history. After the 1960's and 70's saw massive changes in how African-Americans were treated and represented in the media, Jemima was redesigned in the early '80's to nix the "Mammy" imagery, giving her a natural hairstyle and pearls to insinuate that she is a homemaker rather than a servant. But in 2021, following the race riots the year before, Quaker retired Aunt Jemima altogether and rechristened their pancake line after its original parent, the Pearl Milling Company. While some decried the change as needlessly politically correct since Aunt Jemima had been portrayed tastefully for almost 40 years, there was no undoing her racist origins, and Quaker thought it best to finally put the brand behind them.

* Aunt Jemima from the Quaker Oats Company's brand, primarily their line of pancake mixes and syrup, was originally a character from MinstrelShows in the late 1800's and became one of the longest advertising trademarks in American history. After the 1960's and 70's saw massive changes in how African-Americans were treated and represented in the media, Jemima was redesigned in the early '80's to nix the "Mammy" imagery, giving her a natural hairstyle and pearls to insinuate that she is a homemaker rather than a servant. But in 2021, following the race riots the year before, Quaker retired Aunt Jemima and rechristened the line after its original parent, the Pearl Milling Company. While some decried the change as needlessly politically correct since Aunt Jemima had been portrayed tastefully for almost 40 years, there was no undoing her racist origins, and Quaker thought it best to finally put the brand behind them.

* Delilah in both film versions of ''Imitation Of Life'', but especially [[Film/ImitationOfLife1934 the 1934 original]]. The 1959 version by Creator/DouglasSirk is in fact a {{Deconstruction}}. In both versions she is the [[HeterosexualLifePartners best friend]] of Bea and they [[HasTwoMommies raise their children together]]. Unlike most "mammy" type characters she has her own storyline and character development.

* Aunt Jemima from the Quaker Oats Company's brand, primarily their line of pancake mixes and syrup, was originally a character from MinstrelShows in the late 1800's and became one of the longest advertising trademarks in American history. After the 1960's and 70's saw massive changes in how African-Americans were treated and represented in the media, Jemima was redesigned in the early '80's to nix the "Mammy" imagery, giving her a natural hairstyle and pearls to insinuate that she is a homemaker rather than a servant. But in 2021, following the race riots the year before, Quaker retired Aunt Jemima and rechristened the line after its original parent, the Pearl Milling Company. While some decried the change as needlessly politically correct since Aunt Jemima had been portrayed tastefully for over 30 years, there was no undoing her racist origins, and Quaker thought it best to finally put the brand behind them.