As many people put together creative costumes for Halloween festivities, the controversy of blackface continues to rear its ugly caricaturized head and set cultural relations back.
Some Americans feel that tanning or changing one’s skin tone to look more like a movie character in a non-satirical way would be acceptable for Halloween. They fail to understand, however, the cultural underpinnings and history of blackface.
“Dancing with the Stars” contestant Julianne Hough recently appeared in the media with photos of her dressed as a black woman known as “Crazy Eyes” in the TV show, “Orange is the New Black.”
For the outfit, Hough tanned her skin significantly darker, which was intended to help recreate the image of “Crazy Eyes.”
Outrage poured across social media in response to Hough’s outfit, but some people were left in the wondering what the issue was. Hough said on her Twitter profile that she was a fan of the character.
“It certainly was never my intention to be disrespectful or demeaning to anyone in any way,” Hough said on her Twitter account. “I realize my costume hurt and offended people and I truly apologize.”
Despite its controversial history, many people forget the racial undertones of blackface and its use in perpetuating negative stereotypes of African Americans, which still exist today.
In order to avoid many uncomfortable conversations while celebrating the spirit of Halloween with loved ones, costume-wearers should keep in mind that blackface is never acceptable.
The blackface act began in the early 1830s when stereotypical African-American behaviors were often exaggerated.
The actors were primarily white at first, including Thomas D. Rice, who went on to create the character “Daddy Jim Crow.”
The white actors would use burnt cork, greasepaint or shoe polish to create the blackface caricature.
By the 1840s, African Americans began to perform in these shows, but audiences still asked that they use blackface, regardless of the color of their skin.
Blackface was used by the African-American community to break into show business, while subtly critiquing the racist attitudes of white audiences and maintaining the façade of exaggerated stereotypes.
Blackface began to fall out of favor in public opinion during the civil rights era and quickly became taboo.
In spite of the controversial origins of the act, blackface is still used today, albeit in a satirized fashion, such as in Robert Downey Jr.’s performance in “Tropic Thunder.”
Blackface also continues to surface in the media.
A pair of Florida men, for instance, recently dressed up as George Zimmerman and a black-faced caricature of Trayvon Martin, which incensed many people online.
What many don’t realize when they dress up as caricatures of other races is the idea of false equivalence.
Racism is inherently a power imbalance, in which the persecutor decides the norms and stereotypes of the oppressed. The first performers of blackface acts used these stereotypes to trivialize and normalize life in slavery.
Altering the color of one’s skin for costume purposes sets things back to the way they were before, rather than move them forward.
And no, just because you have a black friend does not make it okay.
Nicolas Rodriguez is a senior political science major and an assistant opinions editor at the Daily 49er.
