To all of you who use the supposed derogatory term “Uncle Tom” as an insult to black people who dare move outside the borders of what mainstream “blackness” deems acceptable:

Did you know Uncle Tom (the main character of the book Uncle Tom’s Cabin) was a martyr, killed for protecting the identities of runaway slaves? Did you know the book was based on the life of Josiah Henson, who was a former slave turned successful black businessman and a conductor for the Underground Railroad? I didn’t know these were considered bad things, enough to consider the portrayal of Uncle Tom’s martyrdom as an insult to black people for standing boldly for the truth, which bucks against the system of monolithic black thought.

Here are some examples for which black people are labeled as “Uncle Tom’s”:

A black person speaks proper English instead of using slang – “Uncle Tom”

A black person speaks without cursing – “Uncle Tom”

A black person who dates outside their race – “Uncle Tom”

A black person who supports the police – “Uncle Tom”

A black person who is patriotic – “Uncle Tom”

A black person who condemns thuggery & delinquency – “Uncle Tom”

A black person who condemns welfare – “Uncle Tom”

A black person who doesn’t listen to or support SECULAR hip/hop & rap music – “Uncle Tom”

A black person who doesn’t perpetuate the propagandized ideologies of black culture – “Uncle Tom”

…and the list goes on and on and on!

Any one of these things (as well as others) will have fellow blacks hurling “Uncle Tom” at their own. Yet, almost everything presented on this list will significantly improve our lives as a whole. We should be trying to improve our lives; however, it seems many they’d rather remain victims at all costs. In order for these base-minded blacks to do so, they must first demonize & demoralize those of us who wish to rise above our current issues plaguing the black community, and help others to do so as well. So they call us “Uncle Toms” in efforts to deter us from rising above our current situation. Never have I seen a people so interested in their own destruction under the guise of pride and power like black people. Never have I seen a people more hurtful and harmful to our own for trying to improve and elevate our thinking. Never have I seen a people who love our own oppression so much that we will slander, disgrace, and defame anyone who DARES try to better us as a people. Its so sad what we will do to our own, while others cheer on the slander of other like-minded elevated thinkers.

It must be understood that Uncle Tom is a hero, a fictional character based on the life of an even greater hero, Josiah Henson. Both of their stories of strength, perseverance, and courage should be celebrated and held as the standard of what we aspire to be as a people. So let us not use such a name as a disparaging remark to insult a black person for exhibiting traits we all should strive to have, but instead use it to uplift the best among us like Josiah Henson, the real Uncle Tom.