Uncle Tom Syndrome

Uncle Tom syndrome is the term used to describe a ritualized, accommodating, sycophantic style of behavior in African Americans toward Caucasians. The African American acts in a docile, nonassertive manner to appear nonthreatening to European Americans. The term traces its origins to the novel Uncle Tom's Cabin, written by Harriet Beecher Stowe in 1852. The book, originally a newspaper serial, was written as an attempt to convince readers of the evils of slavery. The book enjoyed considerable commercial success. In the first year it sold 300,000 copies and by 1856, 2 million copies. The book succeeded in its goal of raising the nation's consciousness about the evils of slavery.

There continues to be controversy over the book. In Uncle Tom's Cabin, Stowe attempted to humanize the slaves and show the cruelty of the slavery institution and slave owner. The lead villain, slave owner Simon Legree, is vicious in his beatings of the slave Uncle Tom. Stowe attempted to portray Uncle Tom as maintaining his humanity and dignity under inhumane conditions. Many modern-day reviewers, however, view the depiction of the Uncle Tom character as patronizing and offensive.

The term Uncle Tom syndrome, although derived from this book, has taken on specific cultural meaning beyond the original context. It has developed pejorative connotations, referring to a passive African American who seeks eagerly to appease Caucasians. This pejorative interpretation of the eager-to-please African American belies the importance of the adaptive survival intent of the attitudinal posture.

During slavery, the most dangerous act that a slave could do was to present a challenge or threat to the Caucasian slave owner. Any such overt threats were met with violence or death. The slave needed to develop a manner of interacting with the slave owner that would not threaten his or her safety. Two such ritualized accommodating styles that emerged out of this power dynamic were playing it cool and the Uncle Tom syndrome. Playing it cool is the practice of hiding one's feelings and presenting an impenetrable wall of seeming indifference. As stated, the Uncle Tom syndrome is another cross-racial interpersonal style in which the African American presents an agreeable, deferent, and placating attitude toward the slave owner. The Uncle Tom syndrome presents the least challenge to Caucasian authority.

Both of these ritualistic interpersonal styles continue in contemporary race relations. Although slavery is no longer legal, the power remains in the hands of Caucasians. European American power is perpetuated in economic, educational, and criminal-justice systems. In the current oppressive cultural milieu in which we live, it remains adaptive for African Americans to both hide their feelings and appease Caucasian authority figures. Uncle Tom syndrome is an intelligent survival strategy in a hostile world. Today, it may be just as important for African Americans to appease European American teachers, bosses, or judges to survive as it was to appease the Caucasian slave owner. These interpersonal styles are particularly relevant for African American men, who are seen by many [Page 462]Caucasians as more threatening and hostile than African American women.

Recently, uses of the term and concept of the Uncle Tom syndrome have grown well beyond the United States' cross-racial context. This phrase is now used in an international context in which subjugated developing cultures display a similar attitude toward colonial authorities.

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