Blackface And The Minstrel Show

Black is ugly, Blacks are savage, Blacks are happy servants. These were stereotypes that were played up in the 19th century United States theatre/performances/literature. As the minstrel shows began to appear and become popular, showing how slavery was a good thing. Whites controlled the appearance of slavery and African Americans through these characters they created such as Black Mammy, the Happy Sambo, and the Brute. All based off of stereotypes of the time, blacks portrayed as dumb, docile, willing, or happy-go-lucky servants.

In the 1800s, minstrel shows took America by storm. These shows demonstrated characteristics of African-Americans that confirmed stereotypes that many whites believed at the time. Several characteristics were over exaggerated through characters. One character in particular, Zip Coon, was an extremely dehumanizing stereotype. At first, Zip Coon was an arrogant individual who would try to be high class but was too ignorant. Ultimately, Zip Coon combined with Jim Crow to create the “coon” stereotype.

White minstrel actually used to visit plantations to study the way blacks interacted with each other. When performing, these white Minstrels would take coal and color their faces black. Their performances consisted of skits that including music and dance routines , which imitated blacks. Initially minstrelsies weren’t brought about with the pure intent of poking fun at Blacks. But after the Civil War things changed. Whites stopped visiting the plantation for new material. They began to use the same negative material over and over again. This is what gave birth to many of the Stereotypes that African Americans are victim to, even today. James Bland was one of the African Americans who gained popularity by performing and composing in the black face. After being a part of white minstrelsies, Bland eventually had the opportunity to play in an all black Minstrel called Haverly's European Minstrel Show. After the performers departed from that group, Bland decided to stay in Europe While living in Europe Bland was allowed to perform in shows without having to put on the “black face”. He became extremely popular. Eventually he returned to the U.S. where he couldn’t fit in because American Music had taken a turn since the time that he left. Another group of people that also tried to sing (what I’ll call) “acceptable” music are The

The rise of Blaxploitation films such as Coffy revived the social problem films of the 1940s, but instead introduced new representations of race and gender as well as the drug crisis of the 1970s. Despite the progressiveness of Blaxploitation films in relation to previous films such as Birth of a Nation–where black characters were exploited through flat, racial stereotypes for the enjoyment of white audiences–they also thrived on the exploitation of evolved black stereotypes of the 1970s; Bogle’s “black buck,”1 characterized by violence and insatiable sexual desire evolved into the 1970s “pimp daddy,” thriving through hustling women, selling drugs, and sending hits when necessary. The representation of black women in films followed a

Little Black Sambo was a cartoon show about a black child in the deep south. It stirred a great deal of controversy due to its extreme racial stereotyping. This stereotyping is best shown through the depiction of Sambo’s mother as the conventional black “mammy”. Another scene from the show that was stereotypical and degrading, was when the tiger literally scared the black skin color out of Sambo. Closely related to these African caricatures are minstrel shows. Minstrel shows emerged from the pre industrial European traditions of masking and carnival, but began in America in 1830’s where white men would dress up as southern plantation slaves. These white men would not only dressed up like slaves, but would imitate their music and dance styles. These shows combined the savage parody of black Americans with the fondness for their culture forms. Minstrel shows were popular until the 1950’s when Africans Americans began to obtain more political power. The people involved in minstrel shows would often love slave music and culture, but not the actual slaves themselves. One interesting but terrible phenomenon that arose as a result of these minstrel shows, was the idea of

appeared, and the 1870's, the minstrel show was one of the most popular forms of entertainment in America. White performers wearing burnt cork or black shoe polish on their faces assumed the roles of African American men and women. A typical minstrel show would have songs, dances, jokes and grand hoe-downs. The minstrel show tried to capture the "happy-go-lucky" slave that ate watermelon and shuffled about. However, this idea of the "happy slave" was very wrong. Since this was before the civil rights movement, African Americans were caricatured and often stereotyped as the lazy, shuffling,

Firstly, a brief background of Early Black cinema is important to note. In 1915 The Plantation Genre (form of genre) came about with the release of Birth of a Nation an overtly anti-black film, which included three main mythic stereotypes. These included the “unlawful slave” who represented black slaves as unpredictable, cunning and violent; this representation was used as reasoning for whites sustaining control. The “subordinate slave” stereotype, which represented blacks as dependable, loving and accepting of their position; this allowed white audiences to displace any guilt about slavery. Additionally, there’s also what is known as the “clown entertainer” which included characteristics of innate humor and the

In the 19th and 20th century, Hollywood tended to avoid using African American actors due to the perception that this would lead to racial tension. Clarence Muse, the first African American to star in a major film, wrote a book that considered 'The Dilemma of the Negro Actor. ' In it, he argued that African-American performers were caught in a trap; 'there are two audiences in America to confront, ' he wrote, 'the white audience with a definite desire for buffoonery and song, and the Negro audience with a desire to see the real elements of Negro life portrayed (Muse 1934). ' However, the most

The history of African Americans in early Hollywood films originated with blacks representing preconceived stereotypes. D.W. Griffith’s 1915 film, Birth of a Nation, stirred many controversial issues within the black community. The fact that Griffith used white actors in blackface to portray black people showed how little he knew about African Americans. Bosley Crowther’s article “The Birth of Birth of a Nation” emphasizes that the film was a “highly pro-South drama of the American Civil War and the Period of Reconstruction, and it glorified the role of the Ku Klux Klan” (76). While viewing this film, one would assert that the Ku Klux Klan members are heroic forces that rescue white women from sexually abusive black men. Griffith

As African Americans we have such a rich diverse culture filled with different cuisines, languages and traditions. We definitely should be proud of the many accomplishments that we have made as a people. But in terms of black history it dates back to some of the most inhumane and repulsive actions that African Americans were subjected to. Aside from the racism and segregation that occurred to black people we were also seen as a joke in TV/movie culture back in the day that perpetuated many stereotypes. In the article “Black Stereotypes as Reflected in popular culture” by J. Stanley Lemons he talks about these clichés that were portrayed but most importantly the action of blackface. For me blackface was the most detrimental and had the most

Blackface was used for harsh entertainment about African-Americans. White people covered their face with black paint and did things that weren’t necessary to act out. Making them chase after white woman like they were wild animals. It was also used in comedy and movies. Some of the movies and shows that had blackface included were Bamboozled, The League of Gentlemen, and Cotton and Chick Watts.

Blackface performances were popular in American theaters for roughly 100 years, beginning around the 1830’s. In 1950’s blackface minstrel shows, white and black performers were not able to share the stage therefore they opted to paint their faces black with polish. These “black” characters were always portrayed as either villains or comedic. Blackface had been used to make arguments for slavery and why African Americans should not be given full human rights. These are narratives created by white men that were made to oppress and dehumanize an entire race of people. The minstrel show clip titled “Cotton and Chick Watts Blackface Minstrel Show Comedy” we are shown a very degrading performance put on by two white

Over the course of approximately one-hundred years there has been a discernible metamorphosis within the realm of African-American cinema. African-Americans have overcome the heavy weight of oppression in forms such as of politics, citizenship and most importantly equal human rights. One of the most evident forms that were withheld from African-Americans came in the structure of the performing arts; specifically film. The common population did not allow blacks to drink from the same water fountain let alone share the same television waves or stage. But over time the strength of the expectant black actors and actresses overwhelmed the majority force to stop blacks from appearing on film. For the longest time the performing arts were

Just like how modern day comedians like Dave Chappelle and Martin Lawrence poke fun at their government, as mentioned above that the slaves used to poke fun at their masters, but the real catastrophe still lies in the facts that there are a few examples of actual slave humour because the really good material was only said amongst the slaves to begin with and of course; it was never documented. On the other hand this has far came to change as time pass by getting into the early nineteenth century “The Blackface Minstrel era” were by minstrel music also known as plantation songs came into the scene. This form of music was written by black and white song writers, and white men would dress up and paint their faces black with coal and then start imitating blacks performing these songs. In the later years the black entertainers also started to do the same thing by blacking out as whites playing blacks. It seemed like its purpose was to only reinforce ugly racial stereo types.

Wilson stated that ''The truth is that often where there are esthetic criteria of excellence, there are also sociological criteria that have traditionally excluded blacks.'' He then continued on to say ''... raise the standards and remove the sociological consideration of race as privilege, and we will meet you at the crossroads, in equal numbers, prepared to do the work of extending and developing the common ground of the American theater.'' Through these powerful words Wilson is saying that in order to reflect American culture in the theater, the history of African American’s must be reflected. There have always been systems in place that have excluded African Americans and white Americans will never understand the way that sense of oppression felt. White Americans will never understand how it feels to be enslaved, be powerless in protecting your family, and being sold off as property, as Eliza Harris from Uncle Tom’s Cabin, and millions of other slaves felt. Photographing the “American Negro” by Shawn Michelle Smith presented the idea that white Americans have tried to take away the histories of other races in America. People have always turned against embracing the histories of the African Americans because they were seen as alien to their owners. Their different skin tone separated them from the white Americans who thought of them as uncivilized before they were brought to work for them. Ultimately Wilson calls for Black Theaters to prevent the culture of the