Introduction
The histories of racism and negative stereotypes directed at Black Americans are often discussed in the CBS Sunday Morning and Jim Crow Museum shows. For instance, the CBS Sunday Morning Segment video demonstrates how minstrel shows allowed black and white performers to paint their faces black generating racism (CBS Sunday Morning, n.p.). Conversely, the Jim Crow Museum video helps disclose the history of Blacks’ racism through various artifacts (Jim Crow Museum, n.p.). The essay analyzes how racism arose through Blackface minstrelsy and imagery.
Reaction to the minstrel show
I believe that the minstrels put pressure on white Americans to change their skin color artificially. At the same time, black Americans had to darken their skin more. According to minstrel plays, black Americans were lazy and stupid, and their images often became objects of ridicule (Jim Crow Museum, n.p.). These shows made black Americans appear inferior and uneducated, and they took less essential roles in society. This generated adverse stereotypes and beliefs that yielded continued slavery and the emergence of segregation and discrimination against Blacks.
Blacks as minstrels and different from whites
Ideally, it was different for Blacks to be minstrel performers as opposed to Whites, as they demeaned themselves and showed how less important they were in society. The black minstrel performers misused themselves by being inferior to keep the audiences happy (CBS Sunday Morning, n.p.). Like the Blacks on buses, black minstrels were compelled to participate in their own victimization by choosing to demonstrate their weaknesses and how they were different from the Whites, leading to widespread racism.
Did objects of intolerance help achieve tolerance?
Racial understanding and race relations in America were developed and improved by using objects of intolerance to teach tolerance. The negative caricatures and disturbing artifacts developed to portray Black people within the museum were crucial in raising awareness on the existence of racism (Jim Crow Museum, n.p.). Therefore, this approach helped people determine the best ways to overcome racism to create a better society where every individual is respected and valued.
Black people dehumanization in the Jim Crow museum video
The Jim Crow Museum video shows how Black people have been dehumanized in every aspect of their lives. Blacks have been dehumanized in games like African Dodger, where they were required to stick their heads through holes and individuals would throw balls at their faces. In toys, Blacks are portrayed as targets and victims, where they dance and can be manipulated and abused by users. Based on the media, mainly movies and caricatures as advertisements, Mammy was used to dehumanizing black women by portraying them as dark, unattractive, desexualized, and loyal to faults. Consequently, Mammy’s face was placed on kitchen-related items and breakfast foods (Jim Crow Museum, n.p.). The Blacks’ dehumanization can be related to the Blackface Minstrelsy tradition, which demonstrates that African Americans are inferior, making it normal and fun to be punished and mistreated to keep other people happy.
My feelings on blackface imagery
The videos irritate me because the problem of Blackface imagery continues to exist and is offensive. This reveals the dark past when African Americans were considered inferior and subject to racism and discrimination; hence should be abandoned. The imagery discloses the painful history of mocking the non-white population in society (CBS Sunday Morning, n.p.). Therefore, the contemporary Blackface imagery widens racism, inhibiting minority groups, mainly blacks, from obtaining equal opportunities like the Whites. Unfortunately, this has the effect of preserving white supremacy of culture and opportunity; clearly, this is unethical and wrong. Instead, the members of society should focus on supporting equality while empowering each person, regardless of their race to feel valued and respected.
Conclusion
Minstrel shows created racism and discrimination against blacks because they were considered inferior to whites. However, the creation of the Jim Crow Museum helped people understand what racism is and how to control it. In addition, Blackface’s image should be avoided to create a society in which all people feel equal, respected, and valued. The CBS Sunday Morning video demonstrated that Blackface as a phenomenon promoted white supremacy, not helping to destroy racism.
Works Cited
CBS Sunday Morning. “Blackface: A cultural history of a racist art form.”YouTube, 2018.
Jim Crow Museum. “The Jim Crow Museum.”YouTube, 2013.