Don’t Call Me Miss Ellen
When I was practicing law, I frequently appeared before an administration judge. This one trial, the old dude who the agency hired to act as the judge would call me Miss Ellen. He called the opposition Mr. Cockrell. Me, Miss Ellen. I was a lawyer. The male person on the other side of the case was a lawyer. But I was being talked down to every time the judge called my name.
The guy who headed up the department was disgusted. He said something to the old dude—who he was paying to act as judge—about his behavior. The old dude quit that.
Why was this behavior even recognized as unacceptable? How did everyone but the old dude know it wasn’t acceptable to call me Miss Ellen?
Because a Black woman took her time and money to make it so.
In 1963, a Black woman went to the Supreme Court to force a racist-ass prosecutor to address her with her last name: Miss Mary Hamilton.
So if you are a woman in a professional setting who is treated with the same respectful salutation as your male counterpart you can thank a Black woman for that.
Black History Month 2025: How extraordinary Black Americans intersected with my life.
Black History Month 2025, Calling women by their first name, Celebrating Black History Month
Joe Hawes
Nice boots Ms Prewlitt. A lot better looking than mine Mine are work boots and they dont go out much lately. I take your post to be a reminder that we have be alert and ready to stand up for the dignity of everyone–especially here in the red states–b/c people here have voted to elect an avowed and overt racist to be President of the United Staltes. You remind us that–as Vice President Kamala Harris said: “We are not gping back.”
Ellen Morris Prewitt
I do love these boots, Mr. Hawes! And, of all things, I forget Tennessee is a red state, Memphis is so blue…
Emma
I wish you were still practicing law! I’d go with you when you wear those boots into the courtroom.
Ellen Morris Prewitt
Ha, ha—wouldn’t that be funny!
Marie A Bailey
When I was working for state government, I noticed that the administrative assistants often called each other “Miss [first name].” Sometimes they did the same with me, and I might do the same with them. It came across to me as a kind of affectionate respect. Of course, it wasn’t at all what you or Mary Hamilton experienced, but your story reminded me of one of the small things I did enjoy at my job.
Ellen Morris Prewitt
In Mississippi, that is a frequent form of address. A kind of in between address. Not a formal Mrs. Last Name, not so informal First Name. So I’m there with you. I’m glad I reminded you of a good aspect of your job–the practice can be endearing.