Stereotypes in Early America

Minstrel Shows American entertainment consisting of comic skits, variety acts, dancing, and music, performed by white people in blackface or, especially after the Civil War, black people in blackface. Minstrel shows lampooned black people as dim-witted, lazy, buffoonish, superstitious, happy-go-lucky, and musical. Several different types of stereotypes

Toms The Tom caricature portrays black men as faithful and happily submissive. Used to defense slavery: how could slavery be wrong if black servants were contented and loyal? Smiling, wide-eyed, docile, non-threatening to whites, loyal, gently forgiving Donald Bogle: “Always as toms are chased, harassed, hounded, flogged, enslaved, and insulted, they keep the faith, never turn against their white masters, and remain hearty, submissive, stoic, generous, selfless, and oh-so-very kind. Thus they endear themselves to white audiences and emerge as heroes of sorts” (5-6). submissive to whites, interested in ingratiating himself (in other words, being deferential to) with his master (or Huck as Huck becomes the master of the raft), is always faithfully loyal to his friends and is gently forgiving.

Uncle Ben: rice – still used today!!

Coon The coon was portrayed as a lazy, chronically idle, inarticulate buffoon. Didn’t know his place: thought he was as good as a white person and “put on airs” but… While he often spoke in a high style, he used words/phrases incorrectly (malapropisms) that undermined his intelligence

Bottom: original illustration