The Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1931-1952, 1950-03-29
Statement Re: Black
Face Minstrel Shows
Prepared by

/. Presents an exaggerated and
derogatory stereotype OF the Amer
lean Negro Minority.
?. Offends Negroes and others
who are working toward better
racial understanding.
3. Miseducates non-Negro youth.
4. confuses Negro youth.
5. Defeats, in a measure. the
purpose of schools, and churches
to educate for participation in q
democratic and moral society.
Traditionally. minstrel shows
have presented American Negroes
as ignorant buffoons. objects of
levity, who have a tendency to
such pursuits as crap-shooting.
razor-wielding and chicken steal
ing. The minstrel generally pre-
sents Negroes as being ultra-lazy,
unfaithful to marriage vows, afraid
of ghosts. given to unintelligible
jabbering, the use of the unwieldy
words. and endowed with numer-
Gus other negative traits of char
acter. All qualified students of the
current social scene recognize such
chan acterizations as largely re-
sponsible for much of the inter-
racial misunderstanding which
presently prevails. This misunder-
standing weighs heavily against
the American Negroes progress in
attaining recognition as full Amer
lean citizens. The soot~bAack
faces and enormous white mouths
of minstrel men are Objectionable,
as well as the exaggerated So
called Negro dialect. But beyond
this 1t is the treatment of the Ne
gro as the "thing-apart" in our
civilization that is most repre-
hensible. Certainly the character
izations of Negroes presented by
minstrel shows and certain types
of radio and motion picture pro-
auctions, is a direct contradiction
to scientific evidence about race.
This sterotyped version of nom
white minority is, in effect, a de-
vice of miseducation when used
anywhere. When 1t Is presented
in a school or church setting, this
effect is exaggerated. For here,
it appears that the school, our fore
most educational institution. and
the church, the bearer Of moral
values in our society, have given
their sanction and approval to such
characterizations. Under these
circumstances, the stereotype is
likely to be regarded as represent
ing the value which the church and
school place on the human person
atty when that personality is en-
cased in colored skin.
When the subject is discussed,
some persons always raise the
question, why do Negroes resent
the minstrel show ?" They resent
the minstrel because the continual
presentation Of the Negro as less
than human or as a sub-human
has been rationalized to permit
perpetuation and give acceptance
to the color caste patterns which
exist in our society. For gener-
ations, this naturalization has been
translated into action which adj
versely affects the condition of
Negro Americans and which is con-
trary to the best interests of our
nation. To Negroes, this has meant
humiliation, privation and fear; IL
has meant denial of jobs, segrega-
ton, poverty. Ill health, poor edu-
cation, and in many instances, has
removed the incentive factor from
the consciousness Of Negro youth
and adults.
The stereotyped characterization
of the Negro personality is widely
accepted by uniformed Americans.
Most Of these persons are not
viciously prejudiced, but grossly
misinformed. The minstrel but
tresses and seems to give credence
to their prevalent misinformation.
The black face minstrel shows
like some of the songs of the
Stephen Foster era, are no longer
acceptable. They are carry-overs
from a part of our national history
and national shame which all think
ing Americans are now trying to
rectify.
These are among the reasons
we believe the minstrel show has
no place in program of our public
schools or in our churches