The Secret Life Of The Black Lawn Jockey Statue

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Most people shudder at the sight of a black lawn jockey statue or otherwise known as ‘Jockos’, however, many don’t understand that the black lawn jockey statue played a very noble role during the 19th century.

During the 19th century and early 20th century, escaping slaves knew the importance of the lawn jockey. The jockey statue would guide them to the Underground Railroad and to freedom.

A folk song written back in 1928, “Follow the Drinking Gourd”, speaks of following the ‘drinking gourd’ to freedom. The ‘drinking gourd’ was code for the Big Dipper, which pointed to the North Star and the way to freedom. Among other things, it advised that travel was safest in the spring “when the sun comes back.”)

“Follow the drinking gourd! Follow the drinking gourd. For the old man is a-waiting for to carry you to freedom If you follow the drinking gourd. When the sun comes back, and the first quail calls, Follow the drinking gourd.”

The jockey, in a similarly secret way, pointed to safe houses along the Underground Railroad.

“These statues were used as markers on the Underground Railroad throughout the South into Canada,” says historian/author Charles Blockson, curator of the Afro-American Collection at Temple University in Philadelphia. “Green ribbons were tied to the arms of the statue to indicate safety; red ribbons meant to keep going.

“People who don’t know the history of the jockey have feelings of humiliation and anger when they see the statue,” he adds. “But this figure, which was sometimes used in a clandestine nature, and sometimes without the knowledge of the person who owned the statue, was a positive and supportive image to African-Americans on the road to freedom.”

Sometimes, adds Blockson, a flag was put into the hand of the statue to indicate safety.

Blockson says he also spots the jockey statues in parts of America. For him, these sightings are reminders of the path that was taken to escape slavery.

I personally have seen these throughout the country and displayed in antique stores for many years, but I truly never knew the meaning of them until I took the time to conduct some research.

The statues clearly played a very important role throughout history and symbolize freedom, hope, light and safety.

(For the record – black lives matter – all lives matter – slavery was disgusting and racism needs to end.) 

WE ARE ALL HUMAN BEINGS. 

Love one another.