1900's Jocko lawn jockey

The origin of the lawn jockey figure is attached to the legend of Jocko Graves. According to the River Road African American Museum, Jocko Graves was the 12-year-old son of a free black man who wanted to help Revolutionary War commander-in-chief George Washington cross the Delaware River to attack Hessian forces in Trenton, New Jersey, in December 1776. Graves was too young to join Washington on the crossing, so he reportedly volunteered to watch the general’s horses instead; unfortunately, young Graves froze to death in the effort. Moved by the boy’s sacrifice, upon Washington’s return to his Mount Vernon, Virginia home, he was so inspired by Jocko’s heroism, he commissioned a cast iron statue of Jocko holding a lantern and called it the “Faithful Groomsman”. The “welcome/coming home” theme of these statues started here, and with an ironic double meaning: “coming home” being also used as a metaphor for “dying and going to heaven” The black lawn jockey is typically thought of as a piece of racist memorabilia, but these miniature statues were actually used to aid slaves traveling on the Underground Railroad and were therefore the least racist items that could be displayed in front of a home. Charles Blockson, the curator of the Afro-American Collection at Temple University in Philadelphia, believes that the lawn jockey is frequently misunderstood and is actually a positive and supportive figure. This Jockey measures 44" tall x 23" across and is very heavy! Read Less