Buying Into Blackface

Blackface is taboo, as it was originally performed. Whites wearing ink-colored makeup, exaggerated lips and bug eyes is a thing of the past with the exception of a few pop ups i.e. Ted Danson (1993), and white frat boys (2002, 2003). In 1950, the NAACP mounted a campaign to put an end to blackface performances because they were “demeaning portrayals of African Americans.” Apparently, these performances were seen as fortifying racist images, attitudes and perceptions worldwide only when done by whites. In the 1920’s and 1930’s when Blackface was performed by black artists it was billed as “authentic”, “the real thing”. Coincidently, today when black entertainers appear as “lazy, ignorant, sexually-charged, baphoons” they too are billed as “real”.

The folk at Qune could run down the list of “has been” entertainers whose vanity has allowed them to forego any sense of pride or social responsibility. However the last two months in entertainment has given us examples so very unfortunately perfect we don’t have to dig into our past. Based on the belief that “demeaning representation is better than none at all” Tyler Perry dressed up as the large, grotesque, manly-featured, sexually-charged, grandmother named Madea and remained and scored the top spot at the box office. Yes, and just in case you were confused, Martin Lawrence also dressed up as a large, grotesque, manly-featured, sexually-charged grandmother who fights crime in the successful Big Momma’s House 2. Humorous coincidence? We think not- because in the1920s it was popular for white men to dress as “mammy’s” until blacks were hired to play the role. Now we not only continue to keep these images alive, but seem to believe that they are worthy of pride.

Read more about the legacy of blackface here [courtesy of NPR].

Comments

[Todd Gwynn]

Well, what are you saying? Are you saying that Tyler's character is related to blackface? That is basically what Spike Lee was saying.

Read all about it at Bambizzoozled.com

[anonymous]

albeit, with guarded subtlety, I think the author is _clearly_ equating perry’s character to the blackface acts of years past. and I happen to agree with the author and spike. great read!