Blackface was a parody, along with the exaggerated singing and acting that went with it, pretending that blacks were happy-go-lucky and had a don’t-care-about-tomorrow attitude – so they must not pose any threat to you and me, right?
That was one white-imposed image. The alternative white-imposed image was of jungle monsters and killers who were one breath from rape and murder.
Blackface neutered, jungle terrorized. Blackface tamed, asserted “no threat!”, but underneath, jungle heat remained.
[posted on the Washington Post website, 02 Febr 2019 by terencekuch@gmail.com]
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