Danette Mitchell: On Black History Month, a look at ‘Uncle Tom’ – The Vacaville Reporter

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As many people across the nation celebrate the 100th anniversary of Black History Month — initially called Negro History Week when it began in 1926 — I came across a newspaper photo from the 1960s. The photo depicted Black protestors holding signs, demanding jobs.
One sign that captured my attention the most was “No More Uncle Toms.”
During Black History Month, we pay tribute to Black Americans who have succeeded beyond expectations in their respective professions. We recognize those who are known as “firsts.” We also learn about historical figures who impacted the American experience, as well as unsung heroes and sheroes.
Yet, one character seldom discussed except in a derogatory sense, and even throughout the year, is the fictional character, “Uncle Tom” — depicted in Harriet Beecher Stowe’s “Uncle Tom’s Cabin.”
Stowe, an anti-slavery abolitionist, published her book in 1852. The powerful narrative vividly depicted the cruelty, moral and economic injustices, and dehumanizing conditions endured by enslaved Black people in the United States.
Based on extensive research and on the life of an escaped Black slave, Josiah Henson, whom Stowe interviewed, her work became a national bestseller. Her book sparked significant social and political upheaval. When President Abraham Lincoln met Stowe, he said, “So you are the young lady whose book has caused a Civil War across the land,” according to historical documents.
The 40-year-old White woman, a wife and mother of six, faced intense, violent backlash for her fiction book, primarily from those who were pro-slavery. However, she was criticized by other abolitionists, including some who were Black, even though she attempted to bring dignity to nearly five million enslaved Black people.
In addition, critics attacked her character and mental state. She received threats and hate mail. One package sent to Stowe contained the severed ear of an enslaved person, say historians.
I read the novel twice years ago that follows Uncle Tom’s journey as he endures the brutal realities of slavery, including losing his wife and children when sold to another plantation owner. As mentioned earlier, this fictional “Uncle Tom” has been distorted and misrepresented, when it’s the other character in the story, Sambo, the Black overseer, who served as the true enemy of the enslaved people and remains Black people’s nightmare.
In Black-American culture, the term “Uncle Tom” refers to Black people and groups who are perceived to support policies or issues deemed detrimental to or minimize the interests of Black people while uplifting others. In other cases, a Black person who appears excessively obedient or subservient to White people is typically called an “Uncle Tom.”
Uncle Tom’s character was humble, nonviolent, and displayed strong Christian values, including acts of self-sacrifice. Many would say to the extreme. Uncle Tom took cotton from his own sack and placed it in the sacks of other slaves who were short of their quota to prevent them from being beaten. He defied the vicious slave owner, Simon Legree, when he refused to beat the enslaved women who wouldn’t comply with his demands.
Moreover, Uncle Tom allowed himself to be beaten rather than reveal the whereabouts of two slave women who Legree had sexually abused. When slaves ran away and crossed the Ohio River, heading to Canada, he refused to tell Legree where they would hide.
Legree enlisted the help of two other enslaved people, Sambo and Quimbo, in an attempt to beat Uncle Tom into submission and promote him to slave overseer. Uncle Tom wasn’t willing to set aside his morals and values for the perks they received, like better cuts of meat, clothing, and free passes to leave the plantation. Ironically, neither Sambo nor Quimbo enjoyed freedom, as Tom did, figuratively, because he maintained the courage of his convictions and refused to be controlled.
His persistent mantra: “Mas’r Legree, I ain’t a grain afeard to die. Ye mat whip me, starve me, burn me, it’ll only send me sooner where I want to go.”
Sambo, primarily, was totally committed to Legree and used every opportunity to undermine the other slaves. He offered to show Legree how to “tree the coons.” As part of the slave conditioning, they hated each other. Yet they harbored a shared hatred for Uncle Tom. In the end, Sambo fatally beat Uncle Tom. In all fairness, both Sambo and Quimbo had been brainwashed and conditioned.
The character of Uncle Tom evolved into a negative term by the mid-20th century. This shift change occurred in late 19th-century minstrel shows, where a White performer smeared his face and hands with black shoe polish, creating what were known as “Tom plays.” These theatrical representations overshadowed the original intent of Uncle Tom’s character, who demonstrated a form of resistance and challenged the country to live up to its core beliefs as written in the Declaration of Independence. Instead, the focus was placed on him as a docile, subservient character rather than on Sambo, demonstrating narrative control.
In 2026, modern-day Sambos manifest as celebrities, elected officials, community leaders, and individuals who deny the existence of racial issues. The influence of Sambos appears in various policies, whether actively enforced or ignored. Understanding this connection helps us advocate for meaningful change and for identifying and supporting those who will courageously stand with Black people, not as an afterthought. Or to push a popular agenda or trending narrative.
Sambos also contribute to destructive practices, such as flooding impoverished areas with drugs and facilitating gang violence. It’s crucial to identify who supports and harms the Black community in 2026 and to take action against these injustices, as Stowe bravely dramatized in Uncle Tom’s Cabin. She continued as a staunch abolitionist following the intense backlash, knowing a corrupt system also birthed a Sambo.
— Danette Mitchell is a social justice issues advocate, 2021 31 Inspiring Women of Vacaville, and 2022 Women of the Year Congressional Award Recipient presented by Rep. John Garamendi. E-mail: socialimpact16@gmail.com
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