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'Chocolate News' Canceled - Another Show Bites the Dust
'Chocolate News,' with David Alan Grier, has been axed. Maybe Grier will do better on the new season of 'Dancing With The Stars.'
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Comedy Central
More TV Ads Project Racial Harmony
Whites and blacks are shown returning from war, surfing, skateboarding, dancing and waving American flags at political rallies these days on TV.
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eTrade.com
Nonviolent Protest Anniversary - Howard Students Told Atwater No!
The Howard University Alumni will commemorate the 20th anniversary of the student protests on the Howard University campus in 1989.
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Rick Reinhard
Rock Plays Barack
The Rock cooks something funny up in this SNL skit.
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Foreclosure Filings Jump 30 Percent
Despite halts on new foreclosures by several major lenders, the number of households threatened with losing their homes rose in February.
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AP
'Leaderless Republicans' is a Redundant Term
The masses of the GOP are not working from the ground up because they do not have a leader. It goes a little deeper.
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Flickr
Man Accused of Killing His Identical Twin
A 19-year-old Derris Lewis, above, has pleaded not guilty to charges of aggravated murder, aggravated robbery and kidnapping in the death of his brother, Dennis.
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AP
All the German frozen-food company was trying to do was sell some chicken.
And it figured the best pitchman for the fried snack would be the world's most popular politician, President Barack Obama.
But now, the company, Sprehe, finds itself embroiled in a stewing racial controversy over linking America's first black president with fried chicken.
Obama Fingers, the tasty treat served with a curry sauce, will undoubtedly leave some blacks with a case of indigestion. Not because they ate the snack but because advertising that links black people to fried chicken or watermelon for that matter is racist.
A company spokesman said she didn't know that naming the snack after Obama would cause a racial stir. I tend to believe her.
"It was supposed to be a homage to the American lifestyle and the new U.S. president," sales manager Judith Witting told Germany's Spiegel Online.
"Americans are more relaxed. Not like us stiff Germans," she was quoted as saying.
A lot of whites in America are unaware that some black folks don't like to be associated with fried chicken. And if we are going to be honest, let's acknowledge that plenty of black and white folks enjoy fried chicken -- if the customer lines at fried-chicken restaurants can be used as a barometer.
Irony: This story comes a day or two after Obama gave a talk on food safety. So go ahead and enjoy your Obama fingers. And don't forget the curry sauce. They sound delicious.
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Vintage Racist Advertising
Top left LOS ANGELES - DECEMBER 1: Brigitte Nielsen and Flavor Flav present onstage at the VH1 - Big in '04 on December 1, 2004 at the Shrine Auditorium, in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images) Top right: 1899 -- Uncle Tom's Cabin: Topsy Illustration --- Image by © CORBIS; Bottom right: 1930s AC spark plugs ad in The Saturday Evening Post -- Photo by The Authentic History Center; Bottom left: This cartoon image provided by the New York Post appeared in the Post's Page Six Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2009. The cartoon, which refers to Travis the chimp, who was shot to death by police in Stamford, Conn. on Monday after it mauled a friend of its owner, drew criticism Wednesday on media Web sites and from civil rights activist the Rev. Al Sharpton. (AP Photo/New York Post) ** NO SALES ** Credit: Getty Images / Corbi / Authentic History Center / AP
Getty Images / Corbi / Authentic History Center / AP
Advertisement for an African-American slave sale.
Although the enslavement of mankind in general has been recorded as early as 1200 BC; the first African slaves were reportedly transported to the 'New World' in 1517. This is 76 years after the first black slaves were captured and taken to Portugal.
Bettmann / Corbis
African American Stereotypes: Products and Advertising c.1880s Tin of Nigger Hair Tobacco
For decades this product was sold in stores as chewing tobacco or for smoking. It was advertised as 'pure, unadulterated, fine old burley leaf.'
Photo Source: The Authentic History Center
The Authentic History Center
1888 -- Seal of North Carolina Tobacco - The Darktown Bowling Club Poster -- Image by © Swim Ink 2, LLC/CORBIS Seal of North Carolina Tobacco - The Darktown Bowling Club Poster
Swim Ink 2, LLC / Corbis
ca. 1890 -- Zoulou Powder Poster (French advertisement)
Because offensive advertising was permeated throughout the world for many years, (and still is, as you will see in a few upcoming slides) it should come as no surprise that in more modern times 'racism has become the scourge of European soccer stadiums.'
Swim Ink 2, LLC / Corbis
ca. 1899 --- Uncle Tom's Cabin: Topsy Illustration --- Image by © CORBIS Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe
Topsy was a stereotypical pickaninny character in the book, 'Uncle Tom's Cabin.' Uncle Tom was a slave in the book. The term 'Uncle Tom' is recognized to be offensive and a derogatory name for a black man who is abjectly servile and deferential to whites.
Corbis
ca. 1899 --- George Thatcher's Greatest Minstrels Poster --- Image by © CORBIS George Thatcher's Greatest Minstrels Poster
Early definition of minstrel: a medieval poet and musician who sang or recited while accompanying himself on a stringed instrument, either as a member of a noble household or as an itinerant troubadour.
The black-face minstrel act was a very popular form of entertainment in 19th-century America. White audiences were receptive to the portrayals of Blacks as singing, dancing, grinning fools. T.D. 'Daddy' Rice, the original Jim Crow, became rich and famous because of his skills as a minstrel. Interestingly though, when he died in New York on September 19, 1860, he was broke.
Corbis
African American Stereotypes: Products and Advertising 1899 Durkee's Salad Dressing advertisement, Harpers Magazine
Notice the broken English purportedly spoken by black Americans, 'We're gwine ter live high ter-night ...'
Photo Source: The Authentic History Centerr
The Authentic History Center
Advertisement for Clarence Brooks and Co.'s Fine Coach Varnishes uses racist stereotypes to depict a group of African-American adults and children as they cheer and watch two shirtless boxers, one of whom appears unconscious, accompanied by the text "the Championship Fight, Sullivan Wins," late 1800s. The Sullivan in the text is a reference to boxer John L. Sullivan, who fought bare-knuckled in several famous bouts.
Transcendental Graphics, Getty Images
Advertisement for the St. Louis Beef Canning Company features an illustration of a stereotyped African-American character sitting on a can of beef, accompanied by phonetically rendered, stereotypical dialect-style text that reads: 'No Sah! dont jine no Exodus so as dis Beef lasts,' late 1800s.
Showing blacks to massacre the English language, further perpetuated the false idea that African Americans were somehow unable to be educated.
Transcendental Graphics, Getty Images
Comments: (1684)
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By: NOrchid on 3/19/2009 9:39PM
Hi Karen,
Frankly, Obama is African-American-- his father is African/ his mother, American. Since when does the title "African-American" only apply to the descendants of Africans in America who were sold into slavery by other Africans? Now what, you think he's Mulatto (considered a derogatory term)? I for one, didn't call Obama Black. Take note that he identifies himself as Black. I just think it's great that we have a man of color in the White House. It wasn't only Black people that elected him. It took Americans from every color spectrum to support his campaign efforts. Black people celebrate because, for us, he represents the principal achievement of our struggle for equality, and additionally, for the right just to be recognized sometimes as human beings. He has cracked the ultimate glass ceiling. Let the shards fall where they may.
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By: Jeanette on 3/20/2009 1:46AM
I'd rather have pot.
How much you selling for?
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By: Oscar's disapproval on 3/21/2009 10:49AM
Foul Ball
You are a scammer.
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By: Jared on 3/22/2009 3:29PM
This is highly incorrect by laws passed in this country Baack H.Obama is a black man.Read your history books.The one drop rule!Remember white woman can have black and white babys!!!
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By: tabatha on 3/17/2009 9:33AM
wow! i have no words for this one.
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By: Rosita3597 on 3/17/2009 2:17PM
Blacks are the most hated race of people on earth.
Why? I don't know. When they make those kind of coomments we know they mean it in a negative way, so we just roll with the punches.
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By: Zydecojam on 3/17/2009 3:15PM
For the life of me I can not remember when a food was associated with a world leader. It is not like President Obama is running a chicken company like Perdue or Tyson's chicken, he is the President of the United States of America. These companies need to do a better job of marketing before giving a name to a product that is to be sold. Try selling something that has a racial (Musslim, Irish, German etc)name and the response would be the same. Think before selling a product just to make a buck...
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By: Jim Powell on 3/17/2009 5:07PM
That is the silliest thing I have heard of, we have become so crazy in this country. Sell the things, I'm hungry where can I get some now.
Are they less than 7 trillion dollars ?
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By: Mike on 3/17/2009 5:30PM
I have one word for this: LOL
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By: Grandma on 3/17/2009 5:32PM
Some Blacks are like the Terminator- they ABSOLUTELY WILL NOT STOP playing the race card. We have a black President, at least one black Cardinal, have had blacks in the cabinet for years...we have poor whites and poor blacks who manage to get their educations and make something of themselves. We have quotas to make sure that every company and every educational environment makes sure the playing field is leveled. What is it going to take to satisfy thos who make their living off screaming racism at every incident?!
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