From Stagecoaches to Email: Unveiling the Origins of 'Triggered'

Before email emerged onto the digital frontier and back before the term “going postal” was a thing, the postal service routinely armed its personnel to help prevent against attacks and robberies, mail delivery personnel faced numerous challenges, including the threat of robbery and violence. In response to these dangers, the USPS took measures to ensure the safety of its employees and the security of the mail.

One significant measure entailed the provision of Thompson Automatic weapons for postal workers to bear arms for self-defense. Stagecoach drivers, exemplified by individuals like Mary Fields (Pictured Above), were often entrusted with the risky task of delivering mail across vast and often violent territories. To safeguard themselves and the precious cargo they transported, many postal workers were granted authorization to carry firearms and other weapons while on duty.

This practice of arming postal workers endured for decades, evolving to encompass more sophisticated firearms as technology advanced. However, it was in 1972 that guns were prohibited from US postal buildings, marking a significant shift in policy.

The enduring image of a mail carrier armed with a revolver or rifle became deeply embedded in popular culture, serving as a testament to the challenges they confronted and the bravery required to surmount them.

Remarkably, the history of postal workers and firearms is intertwined with the broader narrative of racial inequality. From 1802, when Congress prohibited African Americans from carrying U.S. Mail, to the late 1860s, when Mary Fields shattered barriers as the first Black woman in a profession dominated by white men, the journey was fraught with obstacles. Despite these challenges, Fields garnered widespread admiration for her exceptional skill and dedication, leaving an indelible mark on history.

Beyond her achievements as a stagecoach driver, Fields' legacy as a trailblazer endures. Her courage laid the groundwork for modern Black mail delivery pioneers, who, like her, refuse to be confined by societal expectations and saw opportunities to work in the U.S. Mail as a gateway to economic independence.

Today's trailblazers push digital boundaries unlike Fields who defied odds in the Wild West, they use technology to enact change and amplify their voices.

And while terms like “triggered” is associated with firearms and is used as an emotional and psychological term, it is a prevalent word in the professional lexicon of email delivery personnel, but with a new meaning, often in reference to email experiences that are automated cyclical, behavioral or transactional messages sent to opted-in subscribers.

Amidst the lexicon of the past and present, a January 2024 ruling from US Court in Florida, where a judge dared to challenge the status quo, may have paved the way for a future that shares the spirit of a time emboldened by figures such as Fields.