Blackface — Then and Now

PAST

Who and What Are Jim Crow?
Government, Theatre Arts, U.S. History

In November 2012, one of the resource guides focused on “The Jim Crow South: Paving the Way for the Modern Civil Rights Movement.” Teachers will find this material helpful in presenting Jim Crow codes and laws. The text and suggested activities were written by Daniel J. Crooks, a Marshall-Brennan Constitutional Literacy Project Fellow and law student at the time.

Before reading and discussing “Baseball, Apple Pie and Blackface,” teachers also may wish to cover the vocabulary found below in “In the Know.” Additional terms to cover include “blackface,” “blacking up,” “ Reconstruction,” “taboo” and “vestiges.”

Give students cultural historian Rhae Lynn Barnes’ Post OUTLOOK article “Baseball, Apple Pie and Blackface” to read and discuss. Discussion questions are provided to respond to while or after reading the article. 

Examine Minstrel Shows
Fine Arts, Music, Theatre Arts, U.S. History

Teachers Notes: Blackface, Minstrel Shows, Stereotypes gives links to resources and suggestions for teachers to review before teaching about the use of blackface by public officials and fellow students, cultural appropriation by designers, and forms of stereotypes.

Teachers may also find the February 2019, Post coverage of a school’s Black History Month activity that was deemed “unacceptable.” See “‘Slavery is not a game’: Virginia school apologizes over Black History Month exercise.”

The National Museum of African American History and Culture has an online exhibit of blackface advertising and art: “Blackface: The Birth of an American Stereotype.” These may be particularly helpful in introducing younger students to these images.

Teachers may wish to show older students an example of a blackface performance. Prepare students for what they will see. The stereotypes, use of vernacular and underlying white supremacy could be part of this discussion. Examples include:
• Al Jolson and the E.P. Christy’s Ethiopian Seranaders sing “Camptown Races” in blackface
• Blackface Montage from Spike Lee’s Bamboozled

PRESENT

What Caused the Current Attention to the Use of Blackface?
Character Education, Journalism, Media Arts, U.S. Government

On Friday, February 1, 2019, news sources reported that Ralph Northam’s page in the 1984 Eastern Virginia Medical School yearbook included a photograph of a person in blackface and one in a Ku Klux Klan robe. By Feb. 7, The Washington Post reported that Virginia’s Attorney General Mark R. Herring, also a Democrat, stated that he had dressed in blackface while in college. Other public figures in other states also indicate they had appeared in blackface.

Teachers should introduce students to the use of blackface in minstrel shows and the institution of Jim Crow practices. Read and discuss “Baseball, Apple Pie and Blackface.” If time allows, discussion questions are provided.

Reactions to the yearbook page, the use of blackface and the governor’s response were varied:

• Calls rang out for Gov. Northam’s resignation.

• Fellow medical students, such as retired neurologist Walter G. Broadnax Jr., recalled a quiet, amiable student: “The Ralph that I knew wouldn’t do something like that. He never showed any of those kinds of attitudes.” A Letter to the Editor from a EVMS classmate recalled: “The Ralph Northam I knew in medical school was gentle, honorable, honest, moral and ethical.”

• Others said he should be judged by his current actions. Northam has indicated what the next steps will be. Read “Va. Gov. Ralph Northam says he wants to focus rest of his term on racial equity” for the governor's response. The timeline in “Northam struggles to escape Va.’s troubled past — and his own” is another useful perspective on the "legacy" in Virginia.

When Appropriate to Appropriate Culture?
Art, Ethics, Fashion, Visual Arts

Blackface use extends beyond photographs, cultural expression and reenactments of minstrel shows. Read Robin Givhan’s article on cultural appropriation in fashion, “Blackface is white supremacy as fashion — and it’s always been in season.”

Teachers may wish to include The Atlantic article “The Dos and Don’ts of Cultural Appropriation.” It includes photographs and video of cultural appropriation done right and wrong for enrichment or additional perspectives. Areas of discussion could include:

• Give examples of embracing and respecting another culture

(cuisine, attitudes towards the environment, respect for elders)

• What are the benefits of cultural appropriation?

(inspiring creativity, increased understanding of another way of doing things,

• Give examples of using from traditional cultures without respect or understanding of it.

(Wearing ceremonial Native American headdresses in runway shows or at Burning Man, wearing fake dreadlocks)

• What Halloween costumes may be considered culturally insensitive or insulting?

(dressing as an American Indian, wearing blackface or putting on a hijab)

• Since fashion and home décor are global business enterprises, how aware of cultural differences, negative stereotypes and derogatory imagery should designers and their companies be?

Select Films Carefully
Culture, English, U.S. History, Visual Arts

The presence of people of color in movies and on television — and what roles they get is an old topic and as new as the next releases and awards season. Media can open the door to discussion of film techniques, themes and character portrayal as well as application of film actions and concepts in real life. Teachers have several avenues of approach:

• Blackface in television variety and comedy shows.

• Racism and racial, pejorative stereotypes in movies. “The Birth of a Nation: The most racist movie ever made” includes examples of scenes from the 1915 film and references to later movies. Students could compare this early motion picture to contemporary movies they have seen. Spike Lee’s Bamboozled addresses these with many examples.

• Moving out of “comfortable” roles into understanding and friendship. Some movies that may be used include Driving Miss Daisy, Green Book, The Help, Hidden Figures and Grand Canyon.

• Teachers may wish to review the Teaching Tolerance podcast “Film and the History of Slavery.” SPLC provides suggestions for using film in the classroom to teach slavery. In particular, review "Episode 9: Ten More … Film and History of Slavery" offers background and strategies, from Ken Burns to Black Panther, to bring pop culture into lessons.

• “Virginia isn’t a one-off. Here’s a (growing) list of celebs and lawmakers who got in trouble over blackface.”

Blackface Appears in Other Countries
Art, Culture, Debate, Physical Education, World History, Visual Arts

In sports, entertainment, religious observance, and cultural activities blackface, brownface, yellowface and redface appear. What makes Zwarte Piet who accompany Sinkerklaas in Holland and Spain, the Golliwog dolls found in England and Europe, Negro Mama in Peru and the Little Black Sambo book by Scottish author Helen Bannerman different than Al Jolson and wearers of blackface? What happens when culture, values and respect for others clash across international borders? Should we expect others to change to our values?

Teachers could review the above links and ask students to read the following articles. Discuss and perhaps form debate groups to take a stand on the situation. For example, one group could represent Dutch who wear soot as Zwarte Piet and another group represents those who are against blackface use for Halloween or costume parties.

• “From America to China, blackface is a global problem”

• “Blackface has been shunned in the U.S. Brownface deserves the same scrutiny.” The mimicry of Yalitza Aparicio on Mexican television revealed an ugly, persistent form of racism in Latin America.

• “These examples of Blackface Around the World Prove We Have a Long Way to Go”

POSSIBILITIES

Read About Race and America
A.P. Government, English, Humanities, U.S. History

When Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam stated he would not resign, he promised to pursue racial equality in the remaining three years of his term and to learn to better fulfill that promise. In the PowerPost column, James Hohmann reached out to historians to advise the governor. Read and discuss “The Daily 202: Ralph Northam should read these books to better understand racism, historians say.”

Teachers may even use this list to form a unit of study with students selecting one or more of the works for presentation, symposium-style sharing or personal research and/or be an expert project.

Should it Be Regret, Redemption or Resignation?
Character Education, Debate, Ethics, U.S. Government

When public officials disappoint, demonstrate ethical misjudgements, or show disrespect for constituents, what should public reaction be? What if the action or statements took place years before? Such a situation took place in Virginia.

Read “Virginians try to find ‘lesser of three evils’ as state reckons with racist past.” Discuss the different responses and the reasons that Virginians give. Students might be asked to use this situation — Gov. Northam alone or all three officials — to debate the expectations and standards by which public officials should be viewed and/or judged.

Additional reading on the topic includes columns and guest commentary “Hate, not heritage” by James Comey, “What can redeem blackface?” by Donna Edwards and “Some blow smoke in apologies for racism” and “Can intention make blackface acceptable?” by Courtland Milloy. These perspectives inform students and are written by individuals who have served the public and observed society.

Consider Student Media Coverage
Ethics, Journalism, Media Arts, Photography, Visual Arts

Photographs in older college and medical school yearbooks brought more attention to blackface use — and the history of its beginnings in American minstrel shows. A number of college presidents issued statements of apology for what was published decades before. Read “Is the University of Virginia yearbook name, ‘Corks and Curls,’ about to become history as the school grapples with racist images.” by Susan Svrluga for examples. More insight is provided in "USA Today reporters scoured hundreds of yearbooks for racist photos. They found one published by their own editor."

Today’s media students make daily decisions about what they cover and how they cover it. “What To Do?” provides situations in which staffs must decide what they would or would not publish or air.

Write a Publication Policy
Ethics and Law, Journalism, Media Arts, Photography, Visual Arts

After completing the “What To Do?” activities, ask students to write a policy statement or statements that will cover situations. See question 11-15 in the activity. Students are asked to include a guideline for writing captions/cutlines. Captions should be informative: include correct names, context for the images seen, and clear and unbiased information.

Post NIE Guide Editor | Carol Lange
Post NIE Guide Art Editor | Carol Porter