A plaque remaining from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem.

Above, a 1934 plaque from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem. Discarded as trash in 2006. Now a Popeyes fast food restaurant on Google Maps.

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Entry from April 06, 2010
Uncle Sugar (Uncle Sam + sugar daddy)

“Uncle Sugar” means the “United States” (U.S.), taken from the slang names “Uncle Sam” and “sugar daddy.” The slang “sugar” means “money,” and “Uncle Sugar” is used to describe the (often unwise) spending of federal dollars.
   
“Uncle Sugar” dates to World War II (1943) and was a popular slang term among the American soldiers.
     
   
Urban Dictionary
Uncle Sugar
Another word for Uncle Sam. The concept that Uncle Sam is everyon’s pimp because he takes his share of your money before you get your share.
Uncle Sugar always gets his cut, he has taken quite bite out of my paycheck.
by RICH CHICKS Aug 5, 2007
 
Dictionary.com
Uncle (Sam) definition
and Uncle Sugar
1. n.
the personification of the U.S.: Uncle Sugar wants a little more of your money this year.
2. n.
a federal agent; federal agents.: Uncle has some pretty strong ideas about who’s in charge of this investigation.
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears. Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
 
Merriam-Webster’s Online Dictionary
Main Entry: sugar daddy
Function: noun
Date: 1926
1 : a well-to-do usually older man who supports or spends lavishly on a mistress, girlfriend, or boyfriend
2 : a generous benefactor of a cause or undertaking
   
4 September 1943, Nevada State Journal (Reno, NV), pg. 4, col. 2:
It’s 4,663 miles, New York to Moscow, but that’s just a short punt for Uncle Sugar Able when he’s mad.
 
27 January 1944, Bakersfield (CA) Californian, “Pipefuls” by Jim Day, pg. 6, col. 2:
My greatest wish is that some day the entire story can be told—only then will our “Uncle Sugar” (States) fully appreciate the task.
       
15 September 1944, Nevada State Journal (Reno, NV), pg. 4, col. 2:
“And nothing much else happens at Christmas except for the arrival of five or six planes a week, and the boys feel sorry for themselves. They can’t talk about much except Uncle Sugar, meaning the U.S.A.”
   
20 October 1944, Berkshire Evening Eagle (Pittsfield, MA), “CBI Troops Suggest Helping Civilians Celebrate V-Day,” pg. 8, col. 1:
NEW DELHI (NANA)—According to the stateside wire services, extensive preparations are under way in Uncle Sugar for the celebration of V-Day.

8 January 1945, Springfield (MA) Republican, “News of the Theater,” pg. 5, col. 8:
“SHORE LEAVE,” the Frederick Wakeman bestseller, tentatively called “Uncle Sugar,” will be sponsored by John Moses and Mark Hanna.
 
28 April 1945, Chicago (IL) Daily Tribune, sec. 1, pg. 10:
“UNCLE SUGAR”
 
Google News Archive
12 September 1945, Pittsburgh (PA) Post-Gazette, Daily Magazine, pg. 3, col. 2:
HERE COMES THAT DATE AGAIN—September 15. This time it’s the beginning of a deadline. Uncle Sam, or Uncle Sugar, as he is sometimes called by servicemen (especially on payday), has asked that you have all the Christmas gifts that you are sending to your friends overseas, in the mail between September 15 amd October 15.
       
Google News Archive
2 March 1946, The Pueblo Indicator (Pueblo, CO), “News Behind the News” by Paul Mallon, pg. 6, col. 1:
Some tell me Uncle Sam is known in many foreign nations as “Uncle Sugar.” They tell of waste, inefficiency, or throwing our money around, and talk of getting into politics.
 
Google News Archive
5 October 1965, St. Petersburg (FL) Times, pg. 9A, col. 1:
Uncle (Sugar Daddy) Sam
By JACK ANDERSON
 
Google Books
How to talk American:
A guide to our native tongues

By Jim Crotty
Boston. MA: Houghton
1997
Pg. 395:
Uncle Sugar: the federal government.
 
OCLC WorldCat record
Amtrak’s Expensive New TOY - EDITORIAL COMMENTARY - A ride on Uncle Sugar’s shiny new Acela Express.
Author: Thomas G Donlan
Publisher: Chicopee, Mass. : Dow Jones & Co., 1994-
Edition/Format: Article : English
Publication: Barron’s. (December 18, 2000): 58
Database: ArticleFirst
     
Outside the Beltway
Uncle Sugar to Bail Out Auto Companies
Dave Schuler | Saturday, December 6, 2008
The White House and Congress have agreed in to advance a $15 billion loan to the auto companies:...

Posted by Barry Popik
Other ExpressionsOrigin of “Uncle Sam”/“Brother Jonathan” • Tuesday, April 06, 2010 • Permalink


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