Blackface

Blackface is a racist embossed theater and Unterhaltungsmaskerade, which emerged in the minstrel shows of the 19th century in the United States. Here, white artists painted the face black and played the " naive, drunken, idiotic and always cheerful Negro " as primarily North American White imagined blacks. Among the most famous blackface performers included Joel Sweeney, Al Jolson and Eddie Cantor.

Origin

Blackface originates from the classical tradition of the fool from the Italian Commedia dell'arte. There, the mask had the function of the hidden behind the mask speaker to give free rein. This " could so his jokes freely drive and had no fear of consequences. With this mask, the Minstrels could also express serious criticism, without having to be taken seriously must " but Commedia dell'arte differs by often modeled wooden mask from the typical blackface feature. Dyed black face and grotesque exempted by make-up technique mouth. This form of theater has acquired no high reputation in the German-speaking countries.

Controversies

• In Germany, a discussion about the new edition of the Blackface term in reference to the film in black and white and the book was out in 2009 From the brave new world of Günter Wallraff. Tahir Della, Chairman of the Initiative of Black People in Germany, criticized the fact that, as was so often spoken about black people, but not with them. The experience and knowledge of the analyzes Black, other commentators, for a long time were available, but would be ignored.
• In September 2011, the satirist Martin Sonneborn caught unintentionally anger as he as the leading candidate of his satirical embossed party PARTY the election campaign before the election to the House of Berlin 2011 colored with black face and the slogan " Ick 'm an Obama " was photographed and so predominantly evoked in the U.S. memories of blackface performances.
• After the preview performance of the play I'm not Rappaport on January 5, 2012 at the Berlin Palace Park Theatre, in a black and white made-up actors represented the figure of the African American Midge Carter, the theater saw protests suspended. The main challenge was in addition to the use of the mask itself that the theater the use of the white actor in a letter to critics therefore justified that the usual game plan of the German stage a permanent position of a black actor hardly permit. According to the critics, the Schlossparktheater had inadvertently admitted a general, unspoken practice on the German stage, which underlies the view that white actors are suited for all roles, even for black, black performers but at most for black roles.
• Nintendo changed the textures of the faces of the Pokémon in Pokémon Red and Blue Rossana for North America and Europe, and the Skull Kid from The Legend of Zelda: Majora 's Mask to avoid misunderstandings regarding the Black Faces.
• In December 2013 was the ZDF accused of betting on the show, dass. to have carried out on 14 December 2013, reminiscent of blackface city bet. Augsburg citizens were invited in pairs as Jim Button and Luke the Engine Driver dressed up to come on stage.