Racism Revealed: American Negro Proverbs

I was browsing through the book "A World Treasury of Proverbs" edited by Henry Davidoff, published in 1946, when I noticed that this book included what was labeled as being proverbs by the "American Negro." I debated whether or not to compile and publish this list, as I find much of the portrayal of African Americans here distasteful (as well as some of the language offensive), but it is a part of our history. I decided that such a list of proverbs could be a useful reference tool for history and literature students researching the topic of racism, and how African Americans were portrayed and perceived in the 1940s and prior.

On appetite:
Appetite don't regulate de time o' day.

On credit:
Buyin' on credit is robbin' next year's crop.

On cursing:
Don't curse the crocodile's mother before you cross the river.

Cussin' de weather is mighty po' farming.

On drunkenness:
Licker talks might loud w'en it gits loose from de jug.

On fire:
You k'n hide de fire, but w'at you gwine do wid de smoke?

On grapes:
Winter grapes sour, wedder you kin reach 'em or not.

On graveyards:
De graveyard is de cheapes' boardin'-house.

On mules:
Mules don' kick 'cordin' to no rule.

On needles:
One person can thread a needle better than two.

On noise:
De noise of de wheels don' measure de load in de wagon.

On pins:
De point of de pin is de easiest to fin'.

On promises:
Promise is a promise, dough you make it in de dark er de moon.

On riches:
De rich git richer and de po' git children.

On secrets:
De cow-bell can't keep a secret.

Blessings!

Source
Henry Davidoff (editor). A World Treasury of Proverbs