The Collaborative International Dictionary
Black snake \Black" snake`\ (sn[=a]k) or Blacksnake \Black"snake\, n. (Zo["o]l.) A snake of a black color, of which two species are common in the United States, the Bascanium constrictor, or racer, sometimes six feet long, and the Scotophis Alleghaniensis, seven or eight feet long.
Note: The name is also applied to various other black serpents, as Natrix atra of Jamaica.
Wikipedia
Black snake may refer to:
Snakes:
- Agkistrodon piscivorus, a.k.a. the cottonmouth, a venomous pitviper species found in North America
- Coluber constrictor, a non-venomous colubrid species found in North America
- Crotalus oreganus, a.k.a. the Northern Pacific rattlesnake, a venomous rattlesnake species found in North America
- Elaphe obsoleta, a.k.a. the black rat snake, a non-venomous colubrid species found in North America
- Pseudechis, any member of a genus of venomous elapids snakes found in Australia
Other:
- A type of whip
- Black snake, a type of firework
- Chainbreaker (1760-1859), a Seneca chief also known as Governor Blacksnake
- Blacksnake (Shawnee), a leader in the defeat of Colonel William Crawford's army during the Crawford expedition of 1782
- Black Snake (film), made in 1973 and directed by Russ Meyer
- Black Snake, Kentucky
- A criminal Know Nothing gang in Baltimore, Maryland
Black snake and Pharaoh's serpent are two similar types of firework.
After being lit, both fireworks begin to smoke and spew out ash resembling a snake via an intumescent reaction. They stay on the ground and do not emit sparks, flares, any form of projectiles, or any sound, but may release smoke.
Sodium bicarbonate which produces carbon dioxide gas, and sugar forming carbon containing ash, are common chemicals used for the black snake demonstration. Other sources report the contents as "a nitrated mixture of linseed oil and naphthalenes".
The traditional "Pharaoh's serpent" version of this firework produces a more impressive snake, but its operation depends upon mercury (II) thiocyanate, which is no longer commonly used because of its toxicity.
Black Snake is a 1973 American film directed by Russ Meyer. It was Meyer's return to self-financed projects, following the end of his brief deal at 20th Century Fox. Meyer's only attempt at the Blaxploitation genre, it was filmed in Panavision and was shot on location in Barbados.
A period piece about colonial slavery, the plot centered on Lady Susan, a cruel slave-owner and plantation mistress, and her domination of both the black and white men on the island. Anouska Hempel, a New Zealand-born actress well known in the UK, was cast at the last minute when Meyer's original lead fell ill.
Meyer was dissatisfied with the film, and for years afterwards he complained of Hempel's unsuitability for her part. In the late 1990s Hempel, now Lady Weinberg, bought the British rights; since then it has not been seen on UK television, though it has been released on DVD there.
Black Snake was originally released theatrically in the UK as Slaves and has also been released under the title Sweet Suzy.