The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

THE NEGRESS

A DETROIT COMPANY DECIDED TO HIRE A FEW NEGROES AS OFFICE
HELP. A VERY NEAT, WELL-DRESSED, COLORED GIRL CAME INTO
THE OFFICE AND FILLED OUT AN APPLICATION FOR WORK.
LATER, THE PERSONNEL DIRECTOR LOOKED OVER THE APPLICATION
AND FOUND MANY MISSPELLED WORDS, INCLUDING THE APPLICANT'S
STREET. WHEN HE CAME TO THE ITEM "SEX," THE GIRL HAD
WRITTEN, "FIVE OR SIX TIMES A WEEK.:"

Submitter comment: THE INFORMANT IN THIS CASE APPARENTLY LEARNED THIS STORY
IN DETROIT AS IT WAS MAKING THE ROUNDS OF THE VARIOUS
PERSONNEL OFFICES. IT MIGHT BE SIGNIFICANT THAT
THE STORY WAS TOLD QUITE RECENTLY, PERHAPS IN THE WAKE
OF THE CIVIL-RIGHTS CONTROVERSY.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; BIRMINGHAM