Sophia A. Nelson: Where Do Broken Hearts Go: Whitney Has…
Morris W. O'Kelly: African Americans Must Shoulder Blame…
Now any conversation or interaction that works against racism is alright with me. But the truth is, one-to-one stunt activities are only likely to foster a friendship between two people where none was possible before. Beyond that these brief interactions are not particularly productive in terms of transforming a racist person into a non-racist one overall. Check out the clip. ...
Looks like it could be interesting television. Here's some more info from the TLC press release:
TLC explores the sensitive topic of racism in modern America through a social experiment that brings two lives with different experiences together under one roof. In the one-hour special GUESS WHO'S COMING OVER – premiering Sunday May 3 at 10 PM ET/PT – viewers travel along with Chuck, an African American from New York City, as he moves in with the white family of David Turner, a self-described "redneck," in Dawsonville, GA (population: less than 700).Will you watch this show?
Chuck has been invited by David's daughter, Michell, in an attempt to eradicate David's preconceived notions about people of African-American descent. After a few days, the tables are turned, and David goes to New York to see Chuck's hometown and meet Chuck's family.
Will the experiment help David overcome his prejudice? What will Chuck take away from the experience? What will be the lasting results of this emotional and intellectual journey? Source - TLC
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: (203)
Add a comment
By: ann on 5/01/2009 12:03PM
I will try to remember to view this - perhaps I will learn something.
Actually, I have not had any such situation in life but I personally believe that racism is not merely ignorance, but moreso, learned behavior/attitude which people decide or insist on living.
If we want to, we can adopt right attitudes of listening and seeing people honestly without dwelling on whether they have black skin, or brown skin or they speak this or that language.
If I worried about these things, I would hate more people instead of loving them. I choose to love. For those who choose to be hateful and antagonistic, I simply let them and go on with my life.
Reply to this Comment | Report This
By: jennifer on 5/04/2009 1:31AM
well put
Report This
By: diane on 5/15/2009 10:02PM
I was born in the 1950's and faintly remember sitting in separate 'booths' to eat. Drinking from separate water fountains. imo, racism will always be around - because bigotry makes the instigator feel powerful. Racism will always be around, because 'certain' people will NEVER relinquish anything. I have gotten to the point where it doesn't bother me as much - but I often wondered what life would be like - if all were really treated equally??
Report This
By: John Lindsay on 5/01/2009 10:47AM
I will definitely watch it to see if TLC resorts to illuminating stereotypes...or will it show more sensitivity and intelligence.
Have you ever noticed that when 2 characters on a TV show or movie are discussing a "racial" topic, the white one usually wins...despite the fact that these were several things the Black character could have countered with?!
It'll be interesting to see what kind of family Chuck and David will have.
I just hope TLC has taken great care not to turn this into another situation like "All in the Family," which was originally designed to examine bigotry, but instead "Archie" became a hero for White racists.
Here’s a description of "All in the Family" creator Norman Lear’s intentions...from Wikipedia:
"Bunker was originally planned by creator Norman Lear to be very disliked, and Lear was shocked when Bunker quietly became a beloved figure to much of middle America.
Lear thought that the opinions of Bunker on race, sex, marriage, and religion were so wrong and incorrect as to represent a parody of right wing bigotry; instead, Bunker's thoughts, broadly speaking, accurately reflected the mindset of some of the viewing audience."
However, some people believed that Bunker's character was good in that it accurately portrayed the racist environment People of Color endured in America.
Here's more from Wikipedia:
"In fact, Sammy Davis, Jr., who was both Black and Jewish, genuinely liked the character; he felt that Bunker's "bigotry" was based on his rough life experiences and also was honest and forthright in his opinions, and showed an openness to change his views if an individual treated him right (Davis in fact appeared on All in the Family to tell the Bunker character this)."
Letting the hate be exposed AND countered is okay.....IF it is done correctly....by responding to "racial" fears and ignorance with intelligent examples.
John L.
jclind2@msn.com
Reply to this Comment | Report This
By: BrigitteAntoinette Ware on 5/01/2009 3:42PM
My white mother-in-law, before she became my in-law, called my a Black N***** B****, and she didn't just call me this, she screamed it at me as she passed by me in her car. Her son had left his white wife, before I met him, and we eventually hooked up,(later marrying-my biggest mistake of life) and I guess she thought he left her for me. Later, we became, if not friends, civil to each other, shareing meals, etc.
They are both deceased now, so it no longer bothers me.
Report This
By: z roiand on 5/01/2009 4:23PM
I too have heard blacks and whites debate race and it often seems like the white person always win. That's because blacks have little ammunition to fight with due to a lack of knowledge. Unlike other races, we don't teach our children "serious" history. Get beyond Martin Luther King and the Civil Rights era(acceptable history by whites)and study and discuss our history going back to the dawn of civilization itself. When we are armed correctly, we can stand in the face of ANY racial argument.
Report This
By: Kris on 5/03/2009 5:54PM
Have you ever noticed that John Lindsay refers to Whites with a lower case "w" and blacks with a capital "b"?
Report This
By: eric on 5/01/2009 2:01PM
Just, remember that we also have black bigots too!
Reply to this Comment | Report This
By: Firefighter on 5/03/2009 8:12PM
Oh stop it. That's why there is no real dialogue about race. People like you avoiding it by saying, "Well, you guys do it too," knowing full well it's nothing like that. Trying to flip the script. Idiot!!
Report This
By: jennifer on 5/04/2009 1:31AM
yea but the problem with you saying its not true is that it is true... there are bigots and racists in every color shape and size... and they are all ignorant and/or wrong.
Report This