Committed to investigating, examining, and representing the African-American male, men, and manhood by offering commentary regarding the status of Black Men and Black Manhood as it relates to African-American Manhood, Race, Class, Politics, and Culture from an educated and authentic African-American perspective aimed at improving the plight of African-American men and African-American Manhood in regards to Politics, Culture, Education, and Social Matters.
The cartoons from back then made African Americans look like monkeys, dirty, and like they had no home training. There would be images of black folks knowing that is not how they act nor what they look like in the images. Cartoons showed the most racial notion along with. black face. What I was not aware of was that some of these “characters” were played by black people.
A few years ago I was able to watch this film and compare the stereotypes seen in this film to films done in the last 20 years or so. It was very eye opening to observe that many of the films that we all watched growing up had taken from these ethnic notions. I personally as I’m sure anyone else this chat feels am infuriated at these images and the long lasting effects they had on our community, as well as the subconscious racism that it produced in the generations after. This documentary was very eye opening both times that I watched and gives a better understanding of how African Americans were looked at during these times in pop culture.
This video left me with a lot of different emotions. It’s crazy to think that these images we see here there for example the Aunt Jemima and the Uncle Ben’s brands big images that I have seen as a kid were based off of pictures meant to demean African Americans. I wish I had known more about where these images had came from, but as a kid I never thought too much about it, or even considered it as bad. It wasn’t until maybe around high school that I slowly learned about it but never did full in depth research. When the news came out this year surrounding the protests as well and how these companies were finally making a change, I was happy but not as happy as I should have been. After watching this now I realize what a good thing it is to see these images stemmed from degrading an entire race of people is finally trying to be fully eradicated and no longer normalized. Learning about the images that were made and the way they evolved as the times changed too is horrible. These images were created to keep blacks degraded, when they really never portrayed them as a whole. They were heavily distorted, inaccurate, and made violence against normal, which I believe definitely contributed to the violence blacks faced throughout the 20th century. After watching this I feel a bit more aware of these images and why it’s so significant we don’t continue to normalize them like the brands have been doing.
I experienced a lot of different emotions while watching this video. They portrayed black people as animals, made fun of us, and said black is ugly. White people wanted Gators so bad, they gave up children. Blacks were compared to animals like apes and monkeys and the people made their skin darker which is offensive. In the video, it’s also trying to say that slavery was easy or wasn’t that bad. The whole video was disappointing to watch and upsets me.
This video is Highly disappointing sad. Its even more unreal that Caucasians really taught our young black kids slavery was easy .I felt heartbroken that’s how our earlier generation of black folk had to go through any of this. White people only see blacks as servants and not as equals
in today’s society white people thought it was funny to pull black face for Halloween as a joke. Then in the video they are trying to compare us to Monkeys or Apes when in real reality they are the ones who look like animals. They hate our skin so bad but no steal our culture, want our full lips & body shapes, high cheek bones and bronzed skin tone. Everything that is black cultured we started on our own even after they said Black was ugly. We took all of the negative and made it positive in some form for us to have confidence and salt love
This was very hard to watch. While watching I got very sad and emotional because back then it was just very cruel and the way people were portrayed was very hard to manage. the way the blacks had to make their skin darker really just made me upset because black is so beautiful and deserves to not be disrespected in such away
From watching the clip, from what I have seen is that it shows that they do not show the real situation about slavery. They are making it seem that they enjoy what they do, have conversations with their “masters”, just showing the audience that it’s not how it seems. While there are actual slaves who are being treated completely different but they decide not to show. They are trying to make a fun of the African American/ slaves. Having white people paint themselves black and try to act how they are being “treated”.
Wow watching this video made me upset from the black face, to how they try to depict black people as animals, say that black is ugly and fed children to gators. Also making black faces and putting make up on and trying to play black people as gross and nasty doesn’t sit right with me.
Wow watching this video made me upset from the black face, to how they try to depict black people as animals, say that black is ugly and fed children to gators. They took our skin tone and made a profit off of making us the butt of jokes and in today’s society white people thought it was funny to pull black face for Halloween as a joke. Then in the video they are trying to compare us to Monkeys or Apes when in real reality they are the ones who look like animals. They hate our skin so bad but no steal our culture, want our full lips & body shapes, high cheek bones and bronzed skin tone. Everything that is black cultured we started on our own even after they said Black was ugly. We took all of the negative and made it positive in some form for us to have confidence and salt love. The songs that they sung about knocking children off further infuriated me because growing up we used to sing these same songs but the filtered version not even knowing what we were really talking about. Children were used as prey just so white people could get Gators, that’s sick. Then they use those Watermelon in almost every picture. The whole video just upset me.
The truth of this video is very much sad and disappointing. Its even more cruel that whites are teaching our children that slavery was just a cake walk. I feel so disrespected to think that white people really do believe us people of color fake our pain or are “too dramatic”. This video was defiantly a huge eye opener
This video shows the hurtful and disgusting truth. The fact that white people tried to convince children slavery wasn’t that bad is a slap in the face and disrespectful. It’s everything but the truth. I do not like how black people had to make their faces darker by using black paint. They portrayed all black people to have exaggerated features, loud laughs, and deep voices when that is definitely not always the case. Black people were, and still are, treated very cruel by whites.
I agree that this video shows the hurtful truth. Trying to convince children that it wasn’t bad is real low of them and false information.
After watching this video it was a huge eye opener on how us African Americans were treated. They made fun of us and mocked us in almost every way. Sometimes it still happens till this day and it’s very wrong and disturbing.
The thing that i don’t like most about ethic notions and many other shows like it depicting African American show from history is they way they build the characters of the blacks. They get obviously big lips and noses and most don’t even look that way . But In my opinion blacks began to get treated worse after they were freed from slavery because they didn’t want them to feel safe or as if they belonged to breathe the same air as others. Ethic Notions is a great example of how whites actually treated African Americans on a daily basis.
This video was very cringe worthy and it made me uncomfortable to watch. How they decided to represent black people was horrific and the things they said were even worse. Black is BEAUTIFUL!!! And I am pretty sure that slaves were not happy at all to be slaves at any point in time. I know that the Black people felt an all time low when they had to portray themselves with black paint and big lips. The whole video was great with providing information and perspectives, but it also reminded me of how beautiful and original black people are and to never let people tell me otherwise.
Ethnics and notation: watching this video really made me mad because the way the treated us back then. Saying that black is ugly and really showing how bad blacks were treated back in the day . Even though today we still are being treated unfairly actually hearing it really makes me upset . Also the fact they believe slavery was normal.
I agree, slaves never had a reason to be happy during the slavery time period. Everyday they are mentally challenged to survive. Watching it just angered me, and i had a lost of words. Seeing how they treated us blacks is horrific and a terrible way by far to treat a human being.
One thing that stuck out to me is how they picked on us just based on the color of our skin. I never knew some of the songs we sing was based of racism that really grabbed my attention it kinda shows that sometimes we don’t really know about history because we still sing it. And i hates seeing whites paint themselves and act like they was black in reality we don’t even act like that and nothing has really changed in today’s age.
This Video is hard to watch and even fathom the feelings African Americans had to endure during this time period. White people did everything in their power to make sure African Americans knew their “place”. From white people doing black face in movies with exaggerated facial features or later on in the video how they had Black people make their skin darker with soot and exaggerate their own features. But the damage was already done even though in the end of the video how Black were starting to be portrayed as how they really look people still had that idea of them with super dark skin with exaggerated facial features.
It is sickening how they portrayed black people. In the video, they showed how stereotypical white people were and still are towards us. White people treated us like ewe were inhumane and that is absolutely disgusting. I also agree with everyone on how black people were not able to be themselves.
They really made fun of slaves just because we were different. The way they portrayed us by having big lips,eating watermelon, every black person does not have them traits. What really pissed me off they copied a cripple person. And bro wasn’t even funny his name is T . D rice he a lame real talk, heartless person
Watching this was an eye opener especially towards the end when it showed the evolution of black people. Throughout the video, the whites were hell bent in portraying black people as barbaric, incompetent or as less than as they possibly could. Saying that black people would revert to savages without the white peoples guidance was degrading. Or the idea that the blacks were happy during slave time and/or working for the whites was also degrading. It was hard to see the little snippet of the already black man, who had to put on black face, singing/talking about how it was inconvenient to be black. The thought of how the little figures, cartoons, black characters were exploited like that breaks my heart. Just because they had different color skin did not mean they were to be treated less than human. The entire video was just unsettling overall.
To watch this video is very much informing about black history there were many songs made up about what black’s went through all in all it’s very pleasing to watch just to be informed about history yet disturbing because its all facts.
It is tragic that this is the way that society chose to portray our people during this time. I think it is interesting how whites were able to change the image of black people from ignorant slaves to uncontrollable beasts; both being used to incite slavery and the inferiority of blacks.
Honestly, watching this video was so hard and had me cringing the whole time at the fact people really did this us. Pretending to be black for the jokes is like mocking us and that’s not cool at all. I find it very offensive to sit here and watch them normalize it. Black people alone have gone through and witnessed so much in life that no other race could possibly bare. Our lives has a story behind it and is what makes us so strong and one of a kind and through everything my ancestors have gone through I wouldn’t want to be any other race, black is beautiful!
It hurt to have to see us portrayed like we were animals, honestly the animations of us didn’t even look human we looked like wild monkeys. Not only did they have white people dressing up in black face to portray us they had real African Americans doing the same thing. And when they’re not portraying us as animals they’re portraying us as people who loved to be slaves for white people; always happy to serve them.
This video gave me lots of info and rubbed me the wrong way as well. Why would slaves imagine being slavery good? they were beat and tortured, no one in this world would want to go through that so them saying white people thought it was good, is them being delusional. I hate how they wanted everyone to think “black is ugly.” It’s not, this video was just- WOW.
Aisha Anderson.
I agree with you Aisha during the film it said black people were to be happy slaves. I agree with all the comments it was really sad that african americans werent able to be themselves. Black people had to act a certain way just to be accepted by the white people. In the film it showed how they portrayed the “jim crow” dance as representing black people. It was cruel that white people thought it was ok to paint there faces black as a way of making fun of the color of black peoples skin. The white slave masters had names for their slaves such as fat, pitch black, and obedient to there master.
I agree with you whole heartedly considering the fact I was very insecure about being black while growing up. Now you can’t tell me nothing because being black is a blessing and I wouldn’t want to be any other race because we are one of a kind and have a story behind our culture.
I too hate how they wanted people to think black is ugly.
It’s disappointing to see our people portrayed like this in films. Put up against an image that falsely describes us. They stereotyped us as just working beings and not actual people, forcing evasive features on us with blackface and “larger lips”. Even black actors themselves were made to put on darker paint. The worse part about it is watching the white actors play black roles as if they could ever elate to a black person or imagine what it was like to be in a black person’s shoes back in those days, basically mocking their struggle. They tried to portray us as loud mouth country bumpkins and we are way more than just that.
After this watching video, it brought up many emotions. Also to the point where I did not want to watch the rest of the video. Seeing how white people try to portray black people as happy individuals through the trauma. These trauma moments were entertainment to the white folks. These deep-rooted stereotypes build the theory of anti-blackness in society. Stating how being black means ugliness, savages, and total embarrassment. All the different racist names, various cartoons of blacks, racist games, and down the greeting cards. The different types of images that the white society created was down bad. It feels like since the emancipation proclamation happened, the white folk wanted to make black people’s lives more uncomfortable than it already is.
I strongly agree. I felt a plethora of emotions. The name calling and exaggerated images really got to me. It angers me that people can be so evil and hurtful.
One thing that stuck out to me the most is the fact that black actors had to put blackface on as well even though their skin was already dark. I feel like it’s so unfortunate that they were cast in to roles that were meant to mock and demean them. Personally, I wouldn’t be able to play a role like that and pretend it’s okay, but by the same time that was the only way they were going to be casted. Also, the way they drew cartoons of black people, purposely making them look like monkeys and other animals was upsetting. And to be black during that time, seeing the way they view you, the way they make a mockery of your blackness, I can only imagine how it affected their self-esteem and self-imagery.
I agree with Ciara…. they treated us bad and they talked about our crippled like how can you be that heartless and make fun of someone that wants to walk regular
I agree. I definitely cringed. Mocking any race is very disrespectful and immature. I can not imagine living in times like those.
After watching this video, it’s baffling to me that Black people were treated this way. Whites made up these stereotypes about blacks that weren’t even true. They portrayed their image upon blacks that looked nothing like black people at all. The way black people were treated was terrible. After being freed from slavery they still had to to deal with this ridiculous oppression. The portrayal of black face in minstrel shows was beyond disgusting. Why would you paint your face in soot just to portray a race? Even though blacks were allowed to be in the minstrel shows they still had to paint their face with soot and paint around their lips with white paint. Whites making black people seem like they are less human is cruel. Making blacks look dark was night, having these huge big pink lips, having wild nappy hair, and having our personalities over exaggerated was definitely a hard sight to see. Racism still exists in today’s society and it was not too long ago it was taught in schools. As a race we had to endure from this oppression. It’s sad that it is 2020 and these portrayals of black people and racism still exists.
One of the many disturbing points in this video for me was learning about the nursery rhymes. I learned the Eeny, Meeny rhyme as “catch a tiger by the toe”. To hear now what the origin of that nursery rhyme really rubs me the wrong way. The way that these African American stereotypes were pushed on everyone is hard to understand. White people had so much power over them that there was not much they could do. Making characters out of African American people dehumanized them for a very long time, it is disturbing to see examples like black face. I think that white people felt there power being threatened so they had to make Blacks seem inferior. Comparisons to animals and drastically wrong physical features are both examples of dehumanizing African Americans.
This documentary shows us how the depiction of races have influenced the thinking of many Americans throughout history. From the first moments of media, black people were shown as these burly, intimidating, people with overdrawn features that look nothing like a real black person. Whites were depicted as soft, innocent, free thinkers who helped create everything good. Those images were used for years on end without any repercussions.
I agree Raquel Black people has always been misconcepted as animals back in the day and now current day thugs and etc. While whites have been seen as innocent and do everything for a certain reason.
The information I obtained in this video is how race has came overtime from a long time ago to right now present day. The white people enslaved, killed, and made fun of us every chance they could get. They treated us black people like were animals. Black people were treated poorly and bad and like inhumane creatures. Nowadays slavery is not legal but police brutality and jail is another way they try to take out black people known as “modern day slavery”
After watching this video, I’m truly irritated. The stereotypes that we continue to experience and learn about never gets any easier to watch. From them portraying us to gremlins and monsters, to them mocking our existence by casting white actors to play roles that they’ve never experienced. The casting of the Black men in films as carefree, irresponsible, and always the comedic relief of the room also happens in our world today because we’re not taken serious and we’ve never been. Also witnessing how they’ve painted the black woman as a huge, big lipped, happy servant also goes to show that our pain has never been fully spoken on enough. Blackface is still a issue today, yet witnessing white people place paint on their face to appear black shows us that it was never a problem to anyone, even ourselves.
I think this video really shows how race in America has saturated every aspect of its culture, right down to the nursery rhymes we sing as kids. Racism allowed whites to control society, and with that power, whites in America created the perception of Blacks that best fit their idea of what African Americans were. Likewise, this made it easier for them to let their fellows suffer under oppression, in fact, it made fun of that position of submission. More than anything, it shows that there was time in this country not very long ago where racism was being taught in schools, and applauded in theaters. It shows the mass media campaign that has kept racism ingrained in the psyche of every American.
The basic overview that I obtained from this video is the way that race is presented and forced upon us earlier on, has and still shaped this nation till this date. The way that African Americans are often depicted as these inhumane, uneducated, wild animal like figure should add evidence to the fact that the black Americans have never been thought of as equal and have always been forced upon other races as a race that is unclean, terrorizing and un-knowledgeable. The way that racism has ever so subtlety been taught and programmed into pretty much any and everything in the world, goes to show who the truly evil race is.
I agree. Racism is taught. These videos, cartoons, etc are instilled into those who watch them. They affect one’s perspective.
In the video , what really stuck with me was knowing that black people really never got a break. The white people enslaved, killed, and made fun of us every chance they could get. They treated us black people like were animals. They made up their own stereotype of the black race when we were the complete opposite. They put on black face to mock us and even made black face put black paint on top of their black skin. Black people was a source of entertainment and nothing more.
Hope, I noticed many of the same things you did from this video. Black people were clearly never given fair chance to get up onto their feet after being freed from slavery. They were dehumanized by white people which set them back even further. Many of the topics are disturbing to really think about what they went through during those times.
While watching the video I could see an awakening of the African race born in America. The writing of constitutions and petitions were understood by blacks who knew how to read. They told blacks who didn’t know how to read about the fight for freedoms of humans. During the American Revolution blacks fought for their freedom. After the war the south still didn’t free their slaves. The blacks who joined the opposing army freed slaves during the war in the south. Thomas Jefferson was a political figure and eventually president. He was the main one who had a lot of slaves and refused to free his. Constitutions were written with contradictions understood by whites. The constitution didn’t see blacks as human, but they were seen as property. The re-writings always had something written to control the destiny of the slave. Lack of total power slowly occurred due to the Declaration of Independence. All petitions were dismissed for blacks to be treated as fellow patriots who said “We will not be slaves.” The statement that every citizen is entitled to the pursuit of life, liberty and happiness, was noticed by a slave who understood what this statement means. She later sued to be free and it was granted. A new constitution was written with a 3/5th clause that allowed blacks to still be considered as property, therefore blacks in the south were still in slavery. Thomas Jefferson never used his power to free slaves, but he suggested that they return to Africa. Blacks in the North refused this idea. Blacks began to form organizations and use the black church as a tool to resist slavery. David Walker was one of our first Martin Luther King’s. He wrote, “An Appeal to the Coloreds of America.” This appeal pointed out what Jefferson said in the Declaration of Independence and what the bible says about freedom. The statement was against slavery. He convinced blacks to think differently. This was the beginning of a different way to fight for freedom. Whites use the laws to enslave black and now blacks can use the law for change.
It’s very sickening to watch how degraded and embarrassed black were back then. It’s a shame that this was legal. I don’t like this big nose, lips, ears etc. notion about black people. It’s just weird to me that white people had so much power and say so over every aspect of black people’s lives. It’s sad that blacks took on very degrading roles in plays or any kind of entertainment just to feed themselves or just to have a way out period. t’s amazing to think that we have come as far as we have as black people. I couldn’t imagine what life would be like now if these sames ways of life were still dominant.
I totally agree . Black people were treated so poorly and faced humiliation at every corner.
It is clear after watching this video, just how poorly African Americans were viewed by white people. They did not even consider us to be humans, nor did they give us the respect as such. Furthermore, not only did they strip us from our roots and history but they began to create their own views of us. The various stereotypes created to diminish the African American race still until this day blows my mind. To intentionally hurt or slander someone due to something they cannot control, the color of their skin, never sit right with me. There was so much hatred within in their hearts towards our entire race, for absolutely nothing. Simply because they felt like they could and so they did. This video is encouragement for people like me. I love to prove people wrong. Therefore, I will do just the same here. Show that the stereotypes are not true and that we can make something of ourselves. Even though they’ve tried for years to strip everything from us.
I agree with you. They normalized violence and even made it appear funny in cartoons and such. It’s crazy to think how much has changed, and imagining someone to think like that now is just embarrassing and horrible.
After watching this video, I’ve noticed that they had plenty of stereotypes about African Americans which I don’t quite appreciate. The way they portrayed us blacks, how white people tried to pretend to be black by painting their faces black and called it the blackface, how they made a cartoon trying to portray us as animals. They portrayed African Americans as if they were happy for doing what they were doing when truly they weren’t like at the beginning how they were treating the mama.
in this video, it was very sickening to watch whites portray African Americans by putting on a black face mask and act like how they think African American people are.what also stood out to me was they way that the novel covers and artifact and cartoons looks nothing like African Americans but they were seen like that.This was indeed a racial stereotyping video of African Americans and even the blacks put on black face mask but what was the reason for it?
I agree with your statement they made African American as if they were bad people and didn’t like how they portray us African Americans as animals in the cartoons.
I agree with all the comments it was really sad that african americans weren’t able to be be themselves . Black people had to act and a certain way just to be accepted by the white people . I agree with all the comments it was really sad that african americans weren’t able to be be themselves . Black people had to act and a certain way just to be accepted by the white people . In the film it also showed how they protrayed the “jim crow” dance as representing black people. It was honestly disgusting how they viewed black people as If they didn’t have manners , treated they as if they were animals . The White masters had names for the black slaves such as fat, pitch dark , and obedient to there master . Black people were treated cruel !
I agree with all the comments it was really sad that african americans weren’t able to be be themselves . Black people had to act and a certain way just to be accepted by the white people . In the film it also showed how they protrayed the “jim crow” dance as representing black people. It was honestly disgusting how they viewed black people as If they didn’t have manners , treated they as if they were animals . The White masters had names for the black slaves such as “fat”, “pitch black”, and obedient to her master . Black people were treated so cruel !
This video made me feel disrespected on how they depicted African Americans and how it was taught to others. They wanted to justify why they should go back into slavery saying that’s when times were good. Also they were trying to justify killing us stating that blacks were and offense to civilization. I believe they felt as though they were losing control of us so they did anything they could to keep us in place. Knowing that lullabies that we sing today has racist backgrounds is very disturbing. For example the Ice Cream truck song and Ennie Minnie Miney Moe. Another thing that stuck with me was how they portrayed blacks in images or the minstrel show.
In this video, I have noticed so many stereotypical beliefs of blacks by itself. The entire video goes to portray us black people as such animals, beast, creatures, loud, wide mouth, dark as night, and most importantly like we don’t all bleed the same color. Referring back to blackface, I feel as if it was an embarrassment to our culture not only because the whites were doing it, but because we had black men along with it. Yet, are they going along with it because they have to ? Or because money being received from it ? or what ever the cause may be, it was still initially wrong and cruel.
I agree Taylor, the portrayal of black people in minstrel shows was an embarrassment to the culture. The stereotypes and what they thought we looked like was very hurtful and cruel.
one of the things that really got to me was how a white person would pretent to be an african american and act out a role that THEY thought was how the African american people acted. when black people were finally able to play themselves it was how the white people saw them. they werent able to play their true selves. if a black person would want to perform he/she would have to take theie already black skin color and make it even more darker just so the white people could be satisfied. they must have felt so degraded not even being able to play themselves but a fake version of it.
I do believe that black people felt even lower when they had to put the putt on their faces. I honestly couldn’t believe that they wouldn’t even let them just play in their own skin. Which shows how much white people wanted things to stay in place.
They literally did everything in their power to make black people look inhuman that’s why they made the them paint themselves darker and expand their lips to continue to portray the fake image of what they perceived us to look like.
what you are saying is very true they made it seem so bad and it just really hurt to see
I think it was definitely a degrading thing to do them, and what makes it worse is that they probably felt like they had no choice, it was either be jobless and homeless, or degrade yourself but continue to live. It just wasn’t fair at all, and it is horrible that they felt like they had no other choice but to do so.
I agree, I did not like how the blacks had to make their skin more darker by putting black paint on it that is very crazy.
I agree with your point here.
One of the things that really stuck with me was How they portrayed the mama character. As a character who was love you and a protector of the house she was working for. That gave off the impression that she was happy to be enslaved. Really let’s me know how back in those times they use many different ways to try to justify violence. On The African-American race and even the story of Brent Williams really touch my heart. He worked hard to dismiss those stereotypes that was presented on the screen for many years. Which related to what African-Americans was going through after coming home from serving their country. They still couldn’t catch a break but demanded respect They still couldn’t catch a break but demanded respect. That white people wasn’t ready to give. They even painted the picture through cartoons to show violence on Black people was a normal thing to do. Which is why I couldn’t understand why by 1927 more than 26 million people we’re going to the movies each week. To see white people dress up and perform as a black person on screen, and found it so touching because they could sing and dance. Or to go see white people perform as Black people in a negative aggressive manner on screen. That really didn’t represent or have the proper representation of Black people. African American people back in those days definitely wasn’t happy to serve in that manner of slavery.
I would agree i don’t think any of the slaves even had a reason to be happy during slavery.
I agree. To be honest, watching the choreographer portray Williams really did captivate me and it actually almost made me cry because, even though it was just a sort of reenactment, it made me think about what many African Americans probably felt back then.