Irvin Kline, c1910 Postcard

I DON’T approve of racial discrimination in hiring, but the literary star Louisa May Alcott most definitely did.

Curiously, this did not affect her sensational success. A new movie version of her novel, Little Women, is showing in theaters now — and yet no one is suggesting a boycott. Very few people even know about Alcott’s racism.

Her main beef was with the Irish. After working with Irish maids, Alcott decided never to hire them again.

In 1874, Alcott wrote an article, “The Servant Girl Problem,” recommending that other women not hire Irish servants too. She apparently wanted to make this discrimination global.

 Last spring, it became my turn to keep house for a very mixed family of old and young, with very different tastes, tempers and pursuits. For several years Irish incapables have reigned in our kitchen, and general discomfort has pervaded the house. The girl then serving had been with us a year, and was an unusually intelligent person, but the faults of her race seemed to be unconquerable, and the winter had been a most trying one all around.

My first edict was, “Biddy must go.” “You won’t get any one else, mum, so early in the season,” said Biddy, with much satisfaction at my approaching downfall. “Then I’ll do the work myself, so you can pack up,” was my undaunted reply. Biddy departed, sure of an early recall, and for a month I do the work myself, looking about meantime for help.

“No Irish need apply,” was my answer to the half-dozen girls who, spite of Biddy’s prophecy, did come to take the place.

I would like to know more about those “faults of her race,” but Alcott does not specify. She eventually found competent American women:

Dear ladies, don’t say this is sentimental or impossible, but try it in all good faith, and take the word of one who has known both sides of the mistress and maid question, that if you do your part faithfully you need never again have your substance wasted, your peace destroyed and your home invaded by foreign incapables.

I have no problem with Alcott’s hate crimes. In finding fault with the Irish, I actually think she had a point. But then I’m Irish.

Not all big-shot literary figures disliked Irish maids. Emily Dickinson was said to have been inspired by hers. For myself, I’d happily employ a defective Irish housekeeper, if I could afford it. Better to have one than be one.

— Comments —

Lydia Sherman writes:

Alcott and other authors of the period were Universalists. These people where in control of publishing, and if you were not a Universalis, which I think is related to the Unitarian religion, you didn’t get published. There were many other good stories being written and told, but with the publishing companies dominated by these elitists, the stories did not circulate like Alcott, Emerson, Gaskell (too many to list). Their basic belief was that mankind was here to make the world a better place, and of course many Christians fell for it, not realizing that the heart of man needed to turn to God. There are lists of famous Universalist authors online, plus Presidents, inventors, and more. Apparently you could not get your project off the ground or succeed at anything without the approval and funding of these people in control.

Please follow and like us: