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Article: What we've made of Uncle Tom; In the 150 years since it burst onto the American scene, 'Uncle Tom's Cabin' has been credited with starting everything from the Civil War to the culture wars.(FEATURES)(LEARNING)
- Article from:
- The Christian Science Monitor
- Article date:
- October 29, 2002
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2002 The Christian Science Publishing Society. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: Gregory M. Lamb Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor
NEW YORK -- In the 1960s, when Muhammad Ali's black opponents in the ring insisted on calling him Cassius Clay and refused to address him by his new Muslim name, Ali fought back with words as well as punches. As he pummeled them, he would shout: "Uncle Tom, what's my name?"
Today, the term "Uncle Tom" is still considered a strong insult among African-Americans. Earlier this year, two black authors published "The American Directory of Certified Uncle Toms: Being a Review of the History, Antics, and Attitudes of Handkerchief Heads, Aunt Jemimas, Head Negroes in Charge, and House Negroes ...