I’m reading John Strasbaugh’s history of blackface performance in America, Black Like You, and finding it fascinating, though I suspect that some of his arguments have angered a lot of people. (Even I feel vaguely uncomfortable with some of them, though others seem less objectionable that they are probably thought to be.) In any case, he mentioned a couple of blackface-styled cartoons that had been banned during the course of discussing blackface in films more generally. I thought I’d linkdump it, partly so I can find these links again.
All This and Rabbit Stew (1941)
Coal Black and de Sebben Dwarfs (1943)
A discussion of the latter cartoon.
While searching for some Shirley Temple in blackface (which isn’t so easy! I’ve found nothing so far!) I found a very stereotypical performance with Bill “Mr. Bojangles,” Robinson and another one here, and another in color. (Which is weird for me because my Mom’s a big Shirley Temple fan, but I’ve never watched anything except that “Good Ship Lollipop” tune. )
A clip of (I think it is) Janet Jackson and her older brother sending up Bill Bojangles and Shirley Temple. I’m quite curious about this Jackson Variety Show — I’ve never heard about that before.
Weird, weird stuff, which I grew up late enough to only have the vaguest clue of as a kid, but grew up long enough ago to have at least that.