b'Whatmadeyouchoosethewomen markethired other women to take care ofwhom you featured in your book? What householdresponsibilities.Asmoreandstood out about their morewomenhaveenteredthelaborstories? market since the 1970s, especially with theThe women I profiled in my book exhibited absence of free public daycare, we havecourage, tenacity, and fight. The deck was seen the occupation grow.stacked against them, yet they persevered.Many of them lacked formal schooling and Whenandhowdiddomesticworkershad few other occupational options. They begin to organize?loved their work, but they didnt see it as a In the 1960s, domestic workers were deeplylabor of love. They fought hard to improve influencedbythecivilrightsandblackwages and working conditions. Geraldine power movements. One woman in Atlanta,Roberts was orphaned at the age of five. Dorothy Bolden, had worked as a domesticShe attended segregated public schools in since the age of nine. She recounted beingArkansas but found it hard to finish school inspired by Rosa Parkss refusal to give upwhile helping her grandmother on her farm. her seat to a white man. Bolden lived inShe later moved to Cleveland and returned thesameneighborhoodasMartinLutherto night school but was unable to care for KingJr.andwasinvolvedincivilrightsherthreechildrenwhilesimultaneously activity there. When she raised with Kingworking and going to school. She ended up the idea of organizing domestic workers,doing low-paid domestic work and found King replied, You do it, Ms. Bolden. Soherselfdemeanedandstruggling shedid.Sherodeeverycitybuslineinfinancially.Shewentontoorganizea Atlanta to hand out leaflets and connectdomestic workers rights group in Cleveland withworkers.Sheeventuallyformeda Are there racial and class politics stilland fight for equal access to education to groupinAtlantawiththousandsof at play between domestic workers andensure a better life for her children. Stories members. domestic employers?such as Robertss should inspire us all. Most definitely. Domestic work is a raciallyWhatweretheracialpoliticsthat diverseoccupation,butthevastmajorityIn the United States, what would you say womenorganizedtochangeinthe arewomenofcolor.Someworkersareis the historical origin of the domestic 1960s?treated fairly and are adequately paid, butworker, specifically the nanny? Racialstereotypeshavealmostalways many are not. Although domestic workersForAfricanAmericans,domesticworkis playedaroleinthehistoryofdomestic are protected by many state and federalrootedinthehistoryofslavery.African work.Inthe19thcentury,therewere laborlaws,thoselawsarenotalwaysAmericanmenandwomenwhowerein stereotypesofIrishdomesticworkersas enforced.Consequently,therearebondage worked as servants in the homes unclean and German domestic workers as household employees who are expected toof white employers, both in the North and domineering. In the early 20th century, the domuchmorethanwasinitiallyagreedSouth. They chauffeured, cooked, cleaned, stereotypeoftheso-calledmammy upon,underpaid,andinsomecases,and cared for children. Even after slavery emerged,andAfricanAmericanwomen physicallyabused.Toomanyemployersended, systemic racism and discrimination cametobeseenastheidealdomestic dont offer health benefits or paid leave oressentiallyclosedoffthepossibilityof workers.Themammyiconizedinfilms dontcontributetosocialsecurity.findinganythingotherthanlow-wage such as Gone with the Wind and used in Employersareabletowieldsuchpowerservice or agricultural labor. So, there is a marketingsuchaswithAuntJemima because the worker may not know aboutlong-standing stereotype or expectation of pancakemixwaspresumablyacontent her rights, have limited job prospects, or beBlack service to white families. AfricanAmericandomesticworkerwho on an employer-sponsored visa. The lens ofwas more loyal to her white employer than race plays a role in how employers justifyDuring earlier historical periods, domestic to her own family. We know, of course, this theirmistreatment.Theybelievethatworkerswereemployedprimarilyinelite is a myth and that domestic workers have because workers have a different cultural,households. There had always been a class their own lives, their own families, and their racial, or economic background, they canof women who were privileged enough to own identities. But the racial stereotypes withstand more and need less support andhire someone to clean their homes or care functionedtojustifymistreatmentand income.Theymightbelieve,forexample,for their children. That changed when men inequality.ThedomesticworkersIwrite thattheyareaccustomedtogettingbyandwomenbegantoworkoutsidethe about tell stories of having to use separate with very little.homeforwages.Poorandworking-class bathrooms or the back door to enter thewomenhadtofindalternativecare home or being asked to eat their meal with Whatdoyoubelievehasbeenthearrangements.Theyreliedonfamilyand the dog. Its easier to institute these kinds biggestachievementoforganizedneighbors, left children home alone, or in of practices if you see the other person as domestic workers?somecases,tookchildrentoworkwith less than you are. Thats what racism doesthem.Womenwhocouldaffordtoand it creates a sense of superiority, a beliefthey may or may not have been in the laborin difference rooted in inequality, and theninstitutionalizes that. 6 Fall 2020|NannyMag.com'