“Spade work” is a gardening term. It’s the hard part of getting a garden ready....really before the onset of tillers.
In any case, it’s still an unusual context to be using the word “spade” when talking about a black man.
Agree, but everything coming out of HC's mouth is so calculated...this didn't "just pop out" by accident. I've been around a long time and have got to say that I've never, ever heard the use of "spade work" ... have you? This was no accident by HC. She meant "something" by it...nothing innocent about it IMHO.