In the 1800s, Black people living in the South created bid whist by combining two games played by slave owners and white elites: whist and bridge. What was once a game of the white upper class became a popular pastime for the oppressed.
Slave owners allowed bid whist to be played because they thought it would help slaves learn how to count cotton barrels. However, whites demeaned the game as “Black bridge.” But Bid Whist was an original game created by Black people.
The famous Pullman Porters helped spread bid whist across the country. On their layovers, they played at clubs and in private homes. Their stature in the Black community made the game more than a Southern pastime.
Bid whist eventually evolved into spades. While the true origin of spades is widely debated, it has been linked to the 1930s Great Migration. However, there is evidence that Black G.I.s stationed in Germany during World War II played spades.
Our ancestors modified the oppressor's card games to create endless joy for themselves. Bid whist and spades are ours to claim and build upon. Let’s keep playing.