"Uncle Tom" is a character created by Harriet Beecher Stowe in her influential anti-slavery novel, "Uncle Tom's Cabin," published in 1852. The character of Uncle Tom is a pious and kind-hearted enslaved man who endures great suffering and violence at the hands of his cruel master. Despite his hardships, Uncle Tom remains steadfast in his faith and moral convictions.

The novel was instrumental in raising awareness about the horrors of slavery and galvanized public opinion against the institution. "Uncle Tom's Cabin" was highly controversial at the time of its publication and is credited with helping to fuel the abolitionist cause in the United States.

While the character of Uncle Tom has come to be associated with a passive and submissive attitude towards oppression in popular culture, in the context of the novel, Uncle Tom is portrayed as a heroic figure who demonstrates immense strength and resilience in the face of injustice. The term "Uncle Tom" has since been used pejoratively to refer to a Black person perceived as too compliant or servile to white authority, but it is important to recognize the complexity and nuance of the original character created by Harriet Beecher Stowe.