Blackface is the practice of non-Black performers using burnt cork or theatrical makeup to portray a caricature of Black people on stage or in entertainment. It has a deeply racist and offensive history, dating back to the mid-19th century, when white performers darkened their skin with polish and cork, put on tattered clothing, and exaggerated their features to look stereotypically "black". The origins of blackface date back to the minstrel shows of the mid-19th century, where white performers imitated and mimicked enslaved Africans on Southern plantations, depicting black people as lazy, ignorant, cowardly, or hypersexual. The practice became popular during the 18th century and was used to display Blackness for the enjoyment and edification of white viewers.
Key points about blackface include:
- It invokes a racist and painful history and is rooted in racism.
- It distorts the features and culture of African Americans, codifying whiteness across class and geopolitical lines as its antithesis.
- It was used to mock and perpetuate negative stereotypes about Black people, and was a method of mocking Black people.
In modern times, blackface is widely recognized as offensive and racist, and changing attitudes about race and racism have effectively ended its prominence in the United States and elsewhere. While it remains in relatively limited use as a theatrical device and is more commonly used today as social commentary or satire, it continues to be a source of controversy and offense.
