Described only as “Minnie,” this beautifully dressed woman was Lady Elizabeth Watson’s nursemaid. All wealthy white Newport families hired African American nurses for their small children, and they liked to think they treated their maids as a part of the family. Clearly Minnie enjoyed many luxuries denied to most others of her race, as is attested to by her fine clothes, hat, and jewelry and her invitation to sit for a portrait.
From the Tim Watson, Sr. Collection
From Watson, Tim, and Elizabeth Jacoway. Newport and Jackson County. Arcadia Publishing, 2016