Black Male and Female Head Salt and Pepper Shakers

This catalog is an ongoing project as we continue adding new pieces and researching listed items. If you have any information about an object in this collection, please reach out to us at info@aahafauquier.org

Description:

1940s ceramic salt and pepper shaker set in the form of a black woman’s head and a black man’s head. When placed next to each other, the pair seems to make eye contact. The woman wears a green bow and the man wears a chef’s hat. The woman is meant for the salt and the man is meant for the pepper.

Product Origin:

Unknown.

Background:

The pair is likely meant to depict the stereotypical “mammy” and “cook” image.

To learn more about these caricatures, read "Mammy and Uncle Mose: Black Collectables and American Stereotyping" and "How Enslaved Chefs Helped Shape American Cuisine"

Statement: We understand these objects may inflict offense through their embodiment of racist ideology by depicting stereotypical and discriminatory imagery and language. However, we hope to educate our community and encourage personal reflection through interacting and understanding the historical context of these objects, rather than ignoring them.