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“Ethnic Notions”
Many notions were made towards African American people as to how they look and act. Most of the notions didn’t favor the African Americans, it more so made them look unsophisticated. There were cartoons that portrayed them to be dark skinned black, with big red lips, and spoke improperly. T.D. Rice, a white comedian, performed in black face. Most of his work was based on an imitation of a black crippled man exaggerating the Jim Crow dance. There were also some black people who performed in black face, but they had to put the black makeup over their skin to make them look blacker than their regular skin tone. They were called “Minstrels.” It was seen as a doorway for blacks to eat and provide for their families. Blacks were seen as childishly entertaining. Black face permeated motion pictures from the 1920s to WW2. Another notion that was made were posters and flyers portraying slavery as a good thing. Saying things like “Slavery was good for the slaves.” The old plantation was presented as a paradise for slaves. They were often promised freedom, but that was betrayed because the whites wanted to maintain white supremacy. At one point in time, blacks were seen as an offense to civilization that was the reason behind killing them. They were seen as ugly, savages who were happy as servants, therefore between 1919-1921 there were the racist fights. On the television screen, black woman were portrayed as always the nanny to white children. These women were loyal, protective, fat, and dark skinned.