Cym. Little black sambo

[Orchidbyte]

Originally Posted by ALToronto

Must it have such a horrendous name? I'd be embarrassed to have it.

Back in the 50's and 60's there was a waffle and pancake restaurant, a national chain called Sambos, on the menu it told a story about an India Indian who created the batter for the pancakes. I use to like going there when I was a kid, they had good food. I am Caucasian, but growing up in the sixties with a forward thinking mother which married an African American, so I had a black man I called dad for a long time, big deal, In fact when I was nine living in Inglewood,ca. I was bussed to an all white school with a bus full of African American kids, that lasted for a couple of days for me.
This orchid was probably named because the person who made the hybrid back then liked eating at Sambo's. People please stop being so sensitive, go watch and have a good laugh with the movie "blazing saddles".

[ALToronto]

Originally Posted by Orchidbyte

Back in the 50's and 60's there was a waffle and pancake restaurant, a national chain called Sambos, on the menu it told a story about an India Indian who created the batter for the pancakes. I use to like going there when I was a kid, they had good food. I am Caucasian, but growing up in the sixties with a forward thinking mother which married an African American, so I had a black man I called dad for a long time, big deal, In fact when I was nine living in Inglewood,ca. I was bussed to an all white school with a bus full of African American kids, that lasted for a couple of days for me.
This orchid was probably named because the person who made the hybrid back then liked eating at Sambo's. People please stop being so sensitive, go watch and have a good laugh with the movie "blazing saddles".

It's possible that the name is derived from the restaurant, but I keep thinking of the hitching post statues of little African-American boys which looked like plantation slaves. You can't deny the racist undertones of the name.

Maybe the grower who made this cross was being sarcastic or channelling Blazing Saddles. But today, this name is a not-so-quaint anachronism that is best buried. The choice of this name for a pretty orchid just baffles me. But one thing's for sure - I will remember it.

[Cym Ladye]

For the history of Little Black Sambo, see the following link. It all started with an innocent children's book published in 1899.

The Story of Little Black Sambo - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Subrosa]

The restaurant chain got its name from combining parts of the names of the two partners who started it. Ones first name was Sam, and the last name of the other began with Bo, so the name was born. They did play into the popularity of the book by decorating their restaurants with scenes of black children.

[Cym Ladye]

...and that is the rest of the story.

[brianwstephens]

Very pretty! I'm a huge fan of the miniature cymbidium flowers in general.

[No-Pro-mwa]

Very pretty. Good G_ _ in heaven I am so sick of being held hostage by words. Sorry about the rant, but it's a name. And a beautiful orchid.

[Subrosa]

Originally Posted by No-Pro-mwa

Very pretty. Good G_ _ in heaven I am so sick of being held hostage by words. Sorry about the rant, but it's a name. And a beautiful orchid.

That which we call a rose would still smell as sweet. As long as you keep your nose where it belongs.

[RosieC]

Really lovely!