Miss Ann

Miss Ann is an expression used inside the African-American community to refer to a European-American woman (or sometimes a black woman) who is arrogant and condescending in her attitude.

The characteristics associated with someone called a "Miss Ann" include being considered "uppity", or in the case of a black woman, "acting white".^[1]

Like the male counterpart term, Mister Charlie, the term Miss Ann was once common among many African-Americans. It was a pejorative way of commenting on imperious behaviour from white women, particularly when it came with racist undertones. It is seldom used among young African-Americans today, instead the term “Karen” has come into further usage amongst people of all races in the United States.^[2]

In popular culture[]

Miss Anne: “A White Woman”
—Zora Neale Hurston, Glossary of Harlem Slang

Ann; Miss Ann: Coded term for any white female. [i.e.] “His mama washes clothes on Wednesday for Miss Ann.”
—Clarence Major, From Juba to Jive: A Dictionary of African-American Slang

Ann: (1) A derisive term for a white woman … Also “Miss Ann.”
—Geneva Smitherman, Black Talk

Miss Ann and Mister Eddie: Emancipated bluebloods.
—Taylor Gordon,

"I’d remind them please, look at those knees, you got at Miss Ann’s scrubbing."
–Maya Angelou, Sepia Fashion Show^[3]

"Oh, oh, oh, Miss Ann, you're doing something no one can…"
–"Miss Ann" song by Little Richard. Here the singer may be referring to the white woman, Ann Johnson, who mothered him as a young teenager, twisting the standard connotation in ambiguous ways.^[4]

See also[]

• House Negro
• Mister Charlie
• Uncle Tom
• Karen (pejorative)

References[]