- What do you think accounts for the enormous popularity of “Black minstrels” with White audiences?
Minstrels were created by a Canadian named Rice. Like movies, minstrel shows were created based upon audience tastes and values. The first step for superior group to control another group is to objectify them. Minstrel shows portrayed African Americans as simple minded, happy, musical, and lazy people who are happy to be a slave. White people wanted justify slavery. They wanted to see that black people could benefit from the slavery. They liked to think that their slaves were minstrels rather than normal human being like themselves. In addition, people love watching idiots and they want to believe that they are smarter than others.
- What is the signature feature of the “Sambo” caricature and describe its historical significance?
Sambo is a simple minded, lazy, childlike, loyal slave who benefited from their masters. Sambo and Coon created double defense for slavery. They failed to adapt to modern free society, and they were happy to be slaves. They could only be slaves to survive in the society. The stereotypes were completely fictional. White people was willing to believe those stereotypes were true. Some people played those roles for money which further justify the slavery.
- What is the signature of the “Mammy” caricature and describe its historical significance?
The mammy is overweight, grinning, desexualized, loyal housekeeper. However, in reality, “mammies” were young and sexy ladies. Only wealthy white people could hire a housekeeper in slavery era. The original Mammy figure was a threat to the mistress of the house, which had the power to break the system. White people created the desexualized mammy stereotype which is known by everyone today. Another reason of the appearance of the stereotype is that African American women were sexually desired by white men. White people wanted to cover their crime. They just pretended they have no interest in black women. This stereotype also justified the modern slavery after emancipation. The stereotype against black women made it possible for middle class white men to hire a housekeeper.
- What do you know now that you didn’t before…or what did you know before that you now understand in a different way after watching the film Ethnic Notions?
I did not know about any negative stereotypes against any race before the class. The documentary made me realize that racism is a big problem. Ruling class made up stereotypes against others to justify their crime and control them. “Innocent” cartoon characters have huge influence on children. They may accept the stereotypes unconsciously which is dangerous, because once they accept the idea, it’s extremely hard to reverse the figure about other people in their minds.
- How did minstrels characterize African Americans?
The minstrel shows presented African American males as sambo and coons. Coons were easily frightened, too lazy to work, slow. Sambos were simple minded, childlike, loyal, happy to be slaves. They believed that they benefit from their masters. African American females were presented as mammies. They were desexualized, overweight. They have wide grin, very dark skin. They love their masters’ children more than their own. They all spoke weird English.
- How were African Americans stereotyped in cartoons? Give specific examples?
Cartoons provided the best form for racial caricature, because in the cartoon fantasy world, physical distortion and violence were comical. They were all desexualized. Those stereotypes were different from the stereotypes from movies. Males were skinny and females were fat and strong. They all had very big lips. For example, in SCRUB ME MAMA WITH THE BOOGIE WOOGIE BEAT, all black people were musical. After the mammy asked what do you mean by rhythm, people started to work and dance with the jazz music. In some cartoons, African Americans were running from wild predators and killed cruelly.
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