Everyone has an opinion – about everything. Often times, people are more than willing to share their opinion with you.
Most people are happy to point out if your opinion is wrong! But, you really need to think before you speak.
Just ask Sandra Dee McNair. She had placed a black lawn jockey in her yard and got some unwanted criticism from her neighbors.
Do you know the history of the black lawn jockey? They are those small statues of a black (or white) man in jockey clothes that was used as a hitching post
McNair does, and she shared it in a Facebook post.
The lawn jockey’s history goes back to the pre-Civil War days, and it is not a jockey – but rather it is a ‘lantern footman.’
The footmen would identify homes that were stops on the Underground Railroad (which was used to help slaves escape to the north).
If the jockey had a striped shirt, you could exchange your tired horse for a rested one.
A jockey with a tailed coat meant you could get a hot meal or spend the night.
Seeing a waistcoat on the jockey meant the homeowner would be able to get you on a ship that was headed to Europe or Canada.
Any time you saw a green ribbon tied around the footman’s arm meant it was safe to come in – but a red ribbon was a warning to stay away!
So, don’t jump to conclusions, know what you are talking about before you make a fool of yourself!
