Blackface

It is commonly believed that Lewis Hallam, Jr., an Anglo-American comedic actor, brought blackface to prominence as a theatrical device when playing the role of an inebriated black man onstage in 1789. The play attracted notice, and other performers adopted the style. White comedian Thomas D. Rice later popularized blackface, introducing the song "Jump Jim Crow" accompanied by a dance in his stage act in 1828. The song had a syncopated rhythm and purportedly recreated the dancing of a crippled, black stable hand, Jim Cuff, or "Jim Crow", who ...

See also:

Blackface, Blackface - History and the shaping of racist archetypes, Blackface - Blackface and darky iconography, Blackface - Modern-day manifestations, Blackface - The Netherlands' Zwarte Piet, Blackface - The coons of Cape Town and Auckland, Blackface - In the U.S., Blackface - Blackface minstrelsy and world popular culture, Blackface - Blackface spinoffs, Blackface - Compare, Blackface - Bibliography

Read more here: » Blackface: Encyclopedia II - Blackface - History and the shaping of racist archetypes

Cultural appropriation, also referred to as cultural theft by its detractors or as a subset of acculturation by others, is the adoption of elements of cultural expression of one societal group, such as forms of dress or personal adornment, music and art, religion, language, or behavior, by an external group, without regard to the underlying aspects of what is being appropriating. It is possible for ...

Including:

• Cultural appropriation - Examples
• Cultural appropriation - Resources

Read more here: » Cultural appropriation: Encyclopedia - Cultural appropriation

Uncle Tom is a pejorative term for a black person who is perceived by other blacks to be obsequiously servile to white authority figures, or who simply are perceived as being unnecessarily accommodating of whites. The term Uncle Tom comes from the title character of white author Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel Uncle Tom's Cabin, a story against slavery in which the slave Tom helps a fellow slave to escape and is brutally murdered by his master when he refuses to give her location up. It is used to denote African Ame ...

Including:

• Uncle Tom - The Practice of Covert Resistance
• Uncle Tom - Other terms with the same meaning

Read more here: » Uncle Tom: Encyclopedia - Uncle Tom

In the Netherlands and Flanders, Zwarte Piet (meaning Black Pete(r)) is a companion of Saint Nicholas (Dutch "Sinterklaas") whose yearly feast in the Netherlands is 5 December and 6 December in Flanders, when they distribute presents to all (good) children. Zwarte Piet has counterparts in the folklore of other western cultures (including the Elfs aiding Santa Claus, a modern American composite of the Saint and Father Christmas) and those are known by many names, among them: Rumpelklas, Buzebergt and Hans ...

Including:

• Zwarte Piet - Origin
• Zwarte Piet - History
• Zwarte Piet - Present and Future

Read more here: » Zwarte Piet: Encyclopedia - Zwarte Piet

African American culture is both part of, and distinct from American culture. From their earliest presence in North America, Africans and African Americans have contributed literature, art, agricultural skills, foods, clothing styles, music, and language to American culture. African American culture - Language. Distinctive patterns of language use among African Americans arose as creative responses to the hardships imposed on the African American community. Slave owners often intentionally mixed people who ...

Including:

• African American culture - Language
• African American culture - Religion
• African American culture - Christianity
• African American culture - Islam
• African American culture - Other religious movements
• African American culture - Traditional and Animist Practices
• African American culture - Agriculture and food
• African American culture - Holidays

Read more here: » African American culture: Encyclopedia - African American culture

During slavery, tomming could be a cunning subterfuge. White masters often gave well-liked and trusted slaves coveted, less physically demanding duties to perform. "Faithful" bondsmen and women also tended to be watched less closely, allowing them opportunities to escape to freedom or engage in clandestine acts of defiance. A tomming fieldhand who had been bullwhipped might set a field afire or destroy farm implements. An outwardly compliant cook whose husband or children had been sold away from her might burn down the cookhouse or exact a slow and agonizing death from her master by poisoning ...

See also:

Uncle Tom, Uncle Tom - The Practice of Covert Resistance, Uncle Tom - Other terms with the same meaning

Read more here: » Uncle Tom: Encyclopedia II - Uncle Tom - The Practice of Covert Resistance

A common sort of cultural appropriation is the adoption of the iconography of another culture. Obvious examples include tattoos of Hindu gods, Polynesian tribal iconography, Chinese characters, or Celtic bands worn by people who have no interest in, or understanding of, their cultural significance. When these artifacts are regarded as objects that merely "look cool," or when they are mass produced cheaply as consumer kitsch, people who venerate and wish to preserve th ...

See also:

Cultural appropriation, Cultural appropriation - Examples, Cultural appropriation - Resources

Read more here: » Cultural appropriation: Encyclopedia II - Cultural appropriation - Examples

British racial term originating in the colonial period of the British Empire. It was generally used as a label for the natives of India, North Africa and the Middle East. By the 1950s it had become a pejorative term used in order to offend. The origins of the term are unclear. Most dictionaries say "wog" either possibly or likely derives from the generic term golliwog after the Golliwogg, a "grotesque" blackface minstrel doll-character from a children's book published in 1895. Various facetious explanations include the claim th ...

See also:

Wog, Wog - As a racial epithet in British English, Wog - As a racial reference in Australian English, Wog - As a synonym for illness in Australian English, Wog - Maritime usage, Wog - As a term in Scientology

Read more here: » Wog: Encyclopedia II - Wog - As a racial epithet in British English

The influence of African Americans on mainstream American music began in the 19th century, with the advent of blackface minstrelsy. The banjo became a popular instrument, and African-derived rhythms were incorporated into popular songs by Stephen Foster and other songwriters. In the 1830s, the Great Awakening led to a rise in Christian fundamentalism, especially among African Americans. Drawing on traditional work songs, African American slaves originated began performing a wide variety of Spirituals and other Christian music. Many of these songs were coded messages of subv ...

See also:

African American music, African American music - 19th century, African American music - Early 20th century, African American music - Mid 20th century, African American music - The 1970s and 1980s, African American music - The 1990s and 2000s

Read more here: » African American music: Encyclopedia II - African American music - 19th century

Many cartoons from previous decades are routinely censored on television, video, and DVD today. Usually, the only censorship deemed necessary is the cutting of the occasional racist joke or instance of graphic violence. For example, one classic cartoon gag, most prominent in MGM's Tom and Jerry cartoons, is the transformation of characters into a blackface caricature after an explosion or an automobile backfire. Such small amounts of objectionable material only require relatively minor cuts in the cartoon to make it palatable to censo ...

See also:

Censored Eleven, Censored Eleven - Controversy, Censored Eleven - Censored Eleven list

Read more here: » Censored Eleven: Encyclopedia II - Censored Eleven - Controversy

The stories were partially based on recollection of the childhood adventures of Yolanda Vargas Dulché in the Colonia Guerrero near downtown Mexico City. The character of Memín Pinguín was inspired by Cuban children seen by the author Yolanda Vargas Dulché on her travels. Memín is an alteration of Memo, the shortened form of Guillermo, her husband's name; Pinguín comes from pingo (roughly ...

See also:

Memín Pinguín, Memín Pinguín - Characters, Memín Pinguín - Racial issues, Memín Pinguín - Controversy

Read more here: » Memín Pinguín: Encyclopedia II - Memín Pinguín - Characters

Enslaved Africans brought their own religious beliefs and practices with them when they were forced on ships from Africa to the New World, but slaveowners mounted a systematic and brutal campaign to de-Africanize them, and strip them of their mostly animist, polytheistic, or Muslim beliefs. African religious practices, considered "heathen", were strictly forbidden, and drums were outlawed for fear that the talking drum would be used by slaves to communicate over distances to plot rebellions. See also:

African American culture, African American culture - Language, African American culture - Religion, African American culture - Christianity, African American culture - Islam, African American culture - Other religious movements, African American culture - Traditional and Animist Practices, African American culture - Agriculture and food, African American culture - Holidays

Read more here: » African American culture: Encyclopedia II - African American culture - Religion

During the Middle-ages Zwarte-Piet was a name for the devil. Having triumphed over evil, it was said that on Saint Nicholas eve the devil was shackled and made his slave. Although the character of Black Peter later came to acquire racial connotations, his origins were in the devil figure. This racialization is reflected in the reworking of the character’s mythos. According to the more modern Saint Nicholas legend, Zwarte Piet is a servant who accompanies Saint Nicholas on his holiday travels. In some versions, it is alleged that Saint Nich ...

See also:

Zwarte Piet, Zwarte Piet - Origin, Zwarte Piet - History, Zwarte Piet - Present and Future

Read more here: » Zwarte Piet: Encyclopedia II - Zwarte Piet - Origin

In recent years, the black face has created some controversy, particularly in North America. The usual explanation for the black face is that it is for "disguise", and that during the hard winters of the 17-18th Century out of work labourers and builders sought to anonymously supplement their income by a bit of dancing and begging. The use of the black face as a form of disguise is certainly well established in early 18th century England - so much so, that in 1723 it became a capital offence under the Waltham "Black Act" to appe ...

See also:

Border Morris, Border Morris - History, Border Morris - Border Morris revival, Border Morris - About the black face, Border Morris - Other black-face traditions

Read more here: » Border Morris: Encyclopedia II - Border Morris - About the black face

Minstrel show - Early development. Blackface characters began appearing on the American stage by the late 17th century, usually as servant types with little role but to provide some element of comic relief.[3] Eventually, similar performers appeared in entr'actes in New York theaters and in less respectable venues like taverns and circuses. As a result, the blackface "Sambo" came to supplant the tall tale Yankee and Frontiersm ...

See also:

Minstrel show, Minstrel show - History, Minstrel show - Early development, Minstrel show - Height, Minstrel show - Decline, Minstrel show - Black minstrelsy, Minstrel show - Structure, Minstrel show - Characters, Minstrel show - Music and dance, Minstrel show - Legacy, Minstrel show - Notes

Read more here: » Minstrel show: Encyclopedia II - Minstrel show - History

Scientologists use "wog" disparagingly for non-scientologists. Scientology's founder L. Ron Hubbard employed the term frequently in his lectures and writings, and his followers in the Church of Scientology continue to do so. From a 2000 staff recruitment leaflet: "Why spend your time and ability working a 9 to 5 job in the wog world, when you can be 100% on-purpose, working full-time to help change conditions and Clear the Planet?" As Hubbard had been an officer in the U.S. Navy during World War II, his usage may have derived from the maritime rather than the racial meaning. Scientology detractors ha ...

See also:

Wog, Wog - As a racial epithet in British English, Wog - As a racial reference in Australian English, Wog - As a synonym for illness in Australian English, Wog - Maritime usage, Wog - As a term in Scientology

Read more here: » Wog: Encyclopedia II - Wog - As a term in Scientology

The cartoons in the Censored Eleven are: Hittin' the Trail to Hallelujah Land (1931, directed by Rudolph Ising) Sunday Go to Meetin' Time (1936, directed by Friz Freleng) Clean Pastures (1937, directed by Freleng) Uncle Tom's Bungalow (1937, directed by Tex Avery) Jungle Jitters (1938, directed by Freleng) The Isle of Pingo Pongo (1938, directed by Avery) All This and Rabbit Stew (1941, directed by Avery) Coal Black ...

See also:

Censored Eleven, Censored Eleven - Controversy, Censored Eleven - Censored Eleven list

Read more here: » Censored Eleven: Encyclopedia II - Censored Eleven - Censored Eleven list

While Memín suffers a degree of racist taunting, especially in the first issues, the characters mocking him are depicted as either cruel or ignorant. As the story progresses, his race becomes less of an issue. In one famous issue, Memín, having read that Cleopatra VII of Egypt took milk baths to lighten her skin, tries the same treatment. His mother weeps with sorrow that her son would want to change his skin color. A repentant Memín decides to be prou ...

See also:

Memín Pinguín, Memín Pinguín - Characters, Memín Pinguín - Racial issues, Memín Pinguín - Controversy

Read more here: » Memín Pinguín: Encyclopedia II - Memín Pinguín - Racial issues

Wog is a shortened version of the word polliwog (frequently modified with the word slimy), used for sailors during the crossing the line ceremony on the first time they cross the equator. Polliwog or pollywog is an increasingly obsolete synonym for tadpole which has been traced back to Middle English. This use of polliwog goes back to at least the 19th century and thus may be the oldest source of wog. Dictionaries are unaware of it, possibly because Eric Partridge missed it in his Dictionary of Slang ...

See also:

Wog, Wog - As a racial epithet in British English, Wog - As a racial reference in Australian English, Wog - As a synonym for illness in Australian English, Wog - Maritime usage, Wog - As a term in Scientology

Read more here: » Wog: Encyclopedia II - Wog - Maritime usage

Wog is also a slang term in Australian English, denoting non-Anglo-Celtic Australians, usually people of Southern European Mediterranean or Middle Eastern ancestries. Historically, the term included Slavic peoples from the Balkans (Croats, Serbs, FYROMs, ect.). Recently, it has come to be applied to people of Middle Eastern or Mediterranean ancestry, such as Arabs, Latins, Greeks, Albanians, Roma, Maltese, Turks, and Iranians. It may occasionally extend to people from other parts of Europe. Migrants from the Netherlands sometimes refer to themselves as clog wog ...

See also:

Wog, Wog - As a racial epithet in British English, Wog - As a racial reference in Australian English, Wog - As a synonym for illness in Australian English, Wog - Maritime usage, Wog - As a term in Scientology

Read more here: » Wog: Encyclopedia II - Wog - As a racial reference in Australian English