Pinehurst North Carolina Uncle Tom Cotton Golf Caddy Real Photo Postcard

The figure identified as "Uncle Tom Cotton" on this postcard reflects a prevalent, though now widely recognized as offensive, caricature in early 20th-century American popular culture. Derived from Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel, *Uncle Tom's Cabin*, the "Uncle Tom" archetype became a minstrel show trope, often portrayed by white performers in blackface or by Black performers enacting stereotypical roles. This character, embodying an elderly, subservient Black man, was frequently used in entertainment and promotional materials, illustrating the racialized social norms and entertainment practices of the era.

Pinehurst, North Carolina, established in 1895 by James Walker Tufts, rapidly developed into a premier winter resort and a significant hub for golf in the United States during the early 1900s. Its grand country club houses, like the one visible in the background, served as focal points for social activity among its affluent visitors. The inclusion of such a figure within the resort's context underscores the era's deeply ingrained racial segregation and the pervasive use of caricatures that catered to and reinforced prevailing white societal attitudes.