Critics have likened ‘digital blackface’ to minstrel shows – which have their origins in the 19th Century; some consider it the first uniquely American form of entertainment. According to CNN, ‘digital blackface’ is defined as “…a practice where White people co-opt online expressions of Black imagery, slang, catchphrases or culture to convey comic relief or express emotions.” The CNN article …
CNN — It’s been nearly 200 years since white performers first started painting their faces black to mock enslaved Africans in minstrel shows across the United States. White performers darkened their skin with polish and cork, put on tattered clothing and exaggerated their features to look stereotypically “black.” The first minstrel shows mimicked enslaved Africans on Southern plantations, depicting black …
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