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Story
August 9, 1902
Yorkville Enquirer
York, York County, South Carolina
What is this article about?
In a Philadelphia Episcopal church's day nursery, a Black mother loses her check and is told the last unclaimed baby is Negro. The congregation pities her, assuming a racial mismatch, until the pastor reveals the mother is also Black.
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Full Text
As She Should Have Been.
A local Episcopal congregation takes a great interest in a day nursery for babies that is run as a part of the organized charity of the church, says the Philadelphia Times. Mothers going out to work or having other reasons for entrusting children to the care of the nursery for the day receive a numbered brass check, corresponding to a tag hung on each baby. The nursery, located in a working folks' neighborhood, is very popular with all classes and denominations, the charge being merely nominal. At a recent Wednesday evening service of the church, the pastor told the congregation that the day before a strange woman had left her baby. returned in the afternoon, asked for her child, and was refused because she had lost the check. The matron in charge would take no chances, but told the woman to come around later when. if there were an unclaimed baby remaining. she could have it. The woman called just at closing time and was told the only baby left was a Negro. Here the pastor was interrupted with exclamations of "Oh," "what a shame!""Dreadful!"
"Poor woman."
etc., from the feminine members of his congregation.
"I forgot to explain," he went on, after a moment, "that the mother. too was black."
A local Episcopal congregation takes a great interest in a day nursery for babies that is run as a part of the organized charity of the church, says the Philadelphia Times. Mothers going out to work or having other reasons for entrusting children to the care of the nursery for the day receive a numbered brass check, corresponding to a tag hung on each baby. The nursery, located in a working folks' neighborhood, is very popular with all classes and denominations, the charge being merely nominal. At a recent Wednesday evening service of the church, the pastor told the congregation that the day before a strange woman had left her baby. returned in the afternoon, asked for her child, and was refused because she had lost the check. The matron in charge would take no chances, but told the woman to come around later when. if there were an unclaimed baby remaining. she could have it. The woman called just at closing time and was told the only baby left was a Negro. Here the pastor was interrupted with exclamations of "Oh," "what a shame!""Dreadful!"
"Poor woman."
etc., from the feminine members of his congregation.
"I forgot to explain," he went on, after a moment, "that the mother. too was black."
What sub-type of article is it?
Curiosity
What themes does it cover?
Social Manners
Moral Virtue
What keywords are associated?
Day Nursery
Racial Assumption
Church Charity
Lost Check
Black Mother
What entities or persons were involved?
Pastor
Black Mother
Matron
Where did it happen?
Philadelphia Working Folks' Neighborhood
Story Details
Key Persons
Pastor
Black Mother
Matron
Location
Philadelphia Working Folks' Neighborhood
Story Details
A Black mother leaves her baby at a church day nursery, loses the identification check, and returns to find the last unclaimed infant is Negro; the congregation reacts with pity assuming a mismatch, but the pastor reveals the mother is Black too, highlighting prejudice.