Black NewsBlast
'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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NBC
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: Tom on 3/17/2009 2:58PM
yea youre so right! and what about thoise Momma Celeste pizza ads HUH?!! Im offened being a dego myself whaahHH! whaahhh!!!
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By: Janice on 3/17/2009 4:24PM
He is the president, he better get used to being joked about and all. God, lets move on with this race issue. It was over 200 hundred years ago that slaves were owned. I don't think anyone alive today can say they owned slaves. Is this the most unforgiven race in the world? It's like they were slaves themselves. It isn't our fault what our ancestors did. What about the Jewish people who were actually killed right in front of their families or the Irish came here and weren't allowed to get jobs. The only ones that won't forgive are the African American race. The people that are actually from Africa are okay with all the races. I know people from Africa and they don't have such a problem with everything that is ever said. It's time to let go of the grudge and stop letting the past affect the present. And if, everything is going to be tagged as racist because the president is black, keep in mind that he is also white. Maybe the white people should be offended by all the stuff that is said or done to him too. Life is short, enjoy it and stop worrying about the past
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By: alice on 3/17/2009 8:33PM
You can buy skin lightening and hair straightening products right here in USA! Why are these considered by some to be racist products? Maybe some darker skinned people want lighter skin -- maybe some people with curly hair want straight hair. White people pay good money to have their over-curly hair straightened. Everybody should just quit reading racist messages into so many things.....
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By: BUB on 3/17/2009 5:32PM
TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS AND ALL THROUGH THE HOUSE NOT A WORD WAS SPOKEN FOR FEAR THAT THE
PC POLICE WOULD HEAR OUR PRAYERS AND SANTA WOULD
FEAR FOR HIS TRUSTY REINDEER. OOOOH MYYYYY!!!!
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By: estes on 3/17/2009 5:50PM
Mammy's little baby loves shortnin',shortnin'
Mammy's little baby loves shortnin' bread.........
So what's wrong with a little fried chicken and malt liquor?????
Anyone ever eat chitlins??????????
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By: s. on 3/17/2009 6:41PM
ohhhhhhhhhhhhh pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee,give up the race card.You know who put Obama in office?,the whites.Do the math. its time to get over this race b.s
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By: ferocia animi on 3/20/2009 4:46AM
why does it have to be like this? Just love. That's it.
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By: K on 3/17/2009 11:27AM
Well, here we are again...whinners! Happy St Patricks Day! What will we have for dinner...hmmm...Corned Beef and Cabbage? Sure, but us Irish people may be offended. Not! The problem lies with this web site, this is twice in a month that I've seen an article with some writer stirring up racist crap over nothing. I have several Black friends, none of whom are offended by this stuff, they actually think it's funny. Funny that anyone would be offended by a food product. "Let's all just get along". Happy St Patricks Day.
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By: Dustin on 3/17/2009 3:32PM
I am having corned beef and cabbage today!
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By: jc on 3/18/2009 7:18PM
Right on man. did anyone look at the name of this website? Black voices? Blackspin? What if we had white voices website? we would all be racist because we had something to do with something white. If you want equal treatment you need to look in yourself no more naacp black voices ebony jet or whatever else is just for black people.
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