Tipping in America: A Legacy of Racism You Didn't Know About

clear jar with tip written on it
Alyssa Guzik
January 5, 2025

The American custom of tipping your server, the "thank you" for good service, is just that — American. It's been built into our culture. But what if I told you that tipping's roots are entwined in something far darker than a reward for a job well done?

The tradition of tipping goes way back to the post-Civil War era. Wealthy whites decided to tip newly freed Black workers from the goodness of their sweet little hearts. But here's the catch—these gratuities weren't meant to empower; they were a way to exploit Black workers, keep wages low, and maintain social hierarchies.

White employers needed workers, and Black people needed work. However, these employers weren't required to pay Black workers decent wages and, in fact, frequently refused. It was a way for them to ensure Black folks knew their place and stayed put.

By 1938, the Fair Labor Standards Act preserved this custom for service workers. However, by then, it wasn't just affecting Black workers—it also harmed any immigrant, non-white person, or poor white person who couldn’t find work outside the service industry.

When we say what helps Black people helps everyone, we aren't playing. Before you complain about having to leave a tip, consider how that small addition to wage is keeping our brothers and sisters fed, clothed, and housed each month. And while you're thinking that, consider ways to fight back so we can all earn a living wage.

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