Stereotypes (Re)-Definition through Distortion:

Images of Africans from Around the World

Black Peter

ò  The Netherlands' Zwarte Piet

ò  Zwarte Piet, or "Black Peter", is a character in Dutch and Flemish Sinterklaas lore, described variously as a slave liberated by St. Nicholas or a servant of Sinterklaas whose feast, mainly targeted at children, is celebrated December 5th. Some sources indicate that Zwarte Piet originally was an enslaved devil, rather than a Moor. Once portrayed realistically, Zwarte Piet became a classic darky icon in the mid-to-late 19th century, contemporaneous with the spread of darky iconography. To this day, holiday revellers in the Netherlands blacken their faces, wear afro wigs and bright red lipstick, and walk the streets throwing candy to passersby. Some of the actors behave dim-wittedly and/or speak mangled Dutch as embodiments of Zwarte Piet.

Black Peter

Black Peter

Black in Asia Visual Vulgarities for Profit

Darkie Toothpaste

Darlie Toothpaste

Evolution of the Product Line Darlie vs. White Men

Darlie Toothpaste

German Toothpaste Chlorodont

Chlorodont

Chlorodont toothpaste was made in Dresden. This is a Russian version. Note that the image is of an Uncle Tom complete with red lips, white teeth, and approving smile.

Enslavement Era A Projected Mythical Image: Happy, Docile, and Lazy

Mammy

Hattie McDaniel

Uncle Tom

Bill “Bojangles” Robinson

Picaninny

Buckwheat

Coon

Bert Williams

Egbert Austin Williams, the legendary comedian, is considered by many to be the greatest vaudeville performer in the history of the American stage. His considerable success extended into the realm of musical comedy as well.

Bert was born in Antigua in 1875. He had a natural sense of humor and was said to be at his best as a mimic. He also learned to play music by ear. His family later moved to New York, andwhen he was 12 they moved to California. He died in 1922.

Bert Williams

Lincoln Perry

Lincoln Theodore Monroe Andrew Perry was born in Key West on May 30, 1902. He was the middle child of Joseph, originally from Jamaica, and Dora, who had come to Key West from Nassau.

Stepin Fetchit

Tragic Mulatto

Nina Mae Mckinney Dorothy Dandridge

Jezebel

Depicts Black women as loose and over sexualized. Most historic depictions of Jezebels are of light skinned women. (more images in the modern section)

Modern Era Images: Weapons of Mass (Mental) Destruction

Invoking White Supremacy and Making the Myth Reality

Brute

These images reflect a part of the narrative of the black experience in the United States and other parts of the African Diaspora, but they are glorified and portrayed out of proportion to other more positive experiences in the Black community.

Modern Urban

Brutes

Flip Wilson

“Geraldine”

Tyler “Madea” Perry

What stereotypes are portrayed in these images?

One Mad Black Woman

Eddie “Norbit” Murphy

“Big Mamma”

Martin Lawrence has made a fortune depicting self-deprecating images. Can you identify the stereotypes?

Big Mamma

What would our ancestors say? The modern Jezebel like her historic counterpart is over sexualized; the primary differences are in the setting, mainly urban, and the extent to which she is treated as an object. She is a victim of the myth of white supremacy and believes her power and value are enhanced through the public and exaggerated display of her sexual promiscuity. Such images are commonplace today.

Sexual

Objectification

Welfare Queen

Sammy Sosa

Deep and longstanding issues of self loathing and self hatred led a person to commit physical violence against themselves. The myth of white supremacy causes cognitive dissonance in people of African descent. MJ was a “classic” tragic mulatto. He will be missed.

Michael Jackson