Miss Ann is an expression used inside the African-American community to refer to a European-American 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, instead the term Karen has come into further usage amongst people of all races in the United States.[2]

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.
—Emmanuel Taylor Gordon, Born to Be

"I’d remind them please, look at those knees, you got at Miss Ann’s scrubbing."
–Maya Angelou, Sepia Fashion Show[3]

"Oh, oh, oh, Miss Ann, you're doing something no one can…"
–"Miss Ann" song by Little Richard. Here the singer may be referring to the white woman, Ann Johnson, who mothered him as a young teenager, twisting the standard connotation in ambiguous ways.[4]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Crawford, Bertho, Michelle, and Beverley; Fogarty, Edward A. (2008). The Impact of Globalization on the United States: Culture and Society. Vol. 1. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 208. ISBN 9780275991821.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. ↑ Jaynes, Gerald David (2005). Encyclopedia of African American Society. Vol. 2. Sage Publications. p. 551. ISBN 9780761927648.
  3. ↑ Kaplan, Carla. Miss Anne in Harlem. New York: Harper, 2013. ISBN 0060882387
  4. ↑ Lhamon, W.T. (1985). "Little Richard as a Folk Performer". Studies in Popular Culture. 8 (2): 7–17. ISSN 0888-5753. JSTOR 23412946.
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