Black Maria

Black Maria is an informal term for a police vehicle for transporting prisoners named after Maria Lee, a black woman who was running a boarding house in Boston in the United States. When the drunk and disorderly customers of the house were being sent to jail, she was said to helping the police in escorting the offenders. The term in this sense came into use in mid 19th century.

Nearby pages
Black mark, Black marketeer, Black mass, Black Mesa, Black metal, Black Monday