What does the term uncle tom refer to?

Answer 1

Taken from the character "Uncle Tom" from Harriet Beecher Stowe's 1852 novel "Uncle Tom's Cabin", it became a pejorative term for those who are servile and obedient to their masters, accepting their inferior status. This is despite the selfless actions of the character in the original novel, who refuses to beat other slaves, or to betray those who have escaped.

Answer 2

From the title character in Harriet Beecher Stowe's book, Uncle Tom's Cabin, an "uncle tom" has come to be a pejorative term for a black man that acts in a subservient manner toward white authority.

Answer 3

The term "Uncle Tom" is a derogatory slur typically used to describe a black person who is perceived as being subservient to white people. It originates from the character Uncle Tom in Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel "Uncle Tom's Cabin," although the character was actually depicted as a noble and heroic figure who stood up against slavery.

Answer 4

"Uncle Tom" is a pejorative term for an African-American who is perceived by others as behaving in a subservient manner to white American authority figures.