Sambo : The Rise and Demise of an American Jester

Before the tumultuous events of the 1960's ended his long life, "Sambo" prevailed in American culture as the cheerful and comical entertainer. Sambo was the stereotypical image of the black male which developed during the Colonial period, extended into all regions and classes, and pervaded all levels of the popular culture for over two centuries, so much so that he could be regarded as the first humorous icon. As Joseph Boskin notes, virtually all societies conceived of their slaves in servile terms, but in the North American hemisphere, the black slave came to be seen as both a worker and entertainer . Why this came to pass is bound up with white perceptions of the black male as a laborer possessing a buguiling style. Whites were fascinated by black movement: the gait, music, language, and especially the laugh. Sambo was to be found everywhere in American society: in circuses and minstrel shows, in comic strips and novels, in children's stories, in advertisements and illustrations, in films and slides, in magazines and newspapers, in postcards and greeting cards, and in knick-knacks found throughout the house. Whatever the variation of his image, the central element was always humor—Sambo was conceived as the initiator and butt of laughter. Boskin shows how the stereotype began to unravel in the 1930's with several radio series, specifically the Amos 'n' Andy and Jack Benny shows. The relationship between Benny and Eddie "Rochester" Anderson—the first of the odd couples inelectronic media—particularly undercut and altered the Sambo image as Rochester gradually achieved an aggressive stance with his "boss" and often reversed roles with him in a curious way. Finally, the democratic thrust of World War II, coupled with the black efforts to terminate Jim Crow practices and the rise of prominent black comedians on the national level in the 1960's, laid Sambo to rest. About the Author: Joseph Boskin is Professor of History and Afro-American Studies and Director of the Urban Studies and Public Policy Program at Boston University. His previous books include Into Slavery and Humor and Social Change in the Twentieth Century . This examines the image in all its manifestations, brilliantly analyzing the reasons for its popularity and its ultimate unraveling. Before the tumultuous events of the 1960's ended his long life, "Sambo" prevailed in American culture as the cheerful and comical entertainer. This stereotypical image of the black male, which developed during the Colonial period, extended into all regions and classes, pervading all levels of popular culture for over two centuries. It stands as an outstanding example of how American society has used humor oppressively. Joseph Boskin's Sambo provides a comprehensive history of this American icon's rise and decline, tracing the image of "Sambo" in circuses and minstrel shows, in comic strips and novels, in children's stories, in advertisements and illustrations, in films and slides, in magazines and newspapers, and in knick-knacks found throughout the house. He demonstrates how the stereotype began to unravel in the 1930s with several radio series, specifically the Jack Benny show, which undercut and altered the "Sambo" image. Finally, the democratic thrust of World War II, coupled with the advent of the Civil Rights movement and growing national recognition of prominent black comedians in the 1950's and '60's, laid Sambo to rest. Contents......Page 12 1 An Epitaph Read Backward in Time......Page 16 2 As His Name Is, So Is He......Page 30 3 Ladies and Gentlemen: Your Attention, Please! Would You Welcome The First American Entertainer SAMBO!!......Page 55 4 And Performing Today at Balls, Circuses, Theatres Picnics, Churches, Schools, and Prisons—The Indomitable, Spirited, Laughing . . .......Page 78 5 Impressions in Boldface......Page 116 6 Prismatic Projections......Page 142 7 The Camera Eye......Page 169 8 The Radio Ear: The Odd-Couples Connection......Page 185 9 The FooI as an Emancipator......Page 219 Notes......Page 246 C......Page 266 E......Page 267 H......Page 268 M......Page 269 N......Page 270 R......Page 271 S......Page 272 Z......Page 273 Illustrations......Page 108 An Epitaph Read Backward In Time -- As His Name Is, So Is He -- Ladies And Gentlemen: Your Attention, Please! Would You Welcome The First American Entertainer Sambo!! -- And Performing Today At Balls, Circuses, Theatres Picnics, Churches, Schools, And Prisons--the Indomitable, Spirited, Laughing ... Jim Crow, Esquire!! -- Impressions In Boldface -- Prismatic Projections -- The Camera Eye -- The Radio Ear: The Odd-couples Connection -- The Fool As An Emancipator. Joseph Boskin. Includes Index. Bibliography: P. 225-243. Drawing on primary sources and scholarly studies of American life and literature, drama, material culture, cartoon art, advertising and popular entertainment from minstrel shows through motion pictures, radio, and television, 'Samba' examines the image in all its manifestations, analysing the reasons for its popularity and its ultimate unravelling. Traces the development and decline of the insulting racial stereotype of the lazy, comical negro, particularly in popular entertainment. Traces the history of comic stereotype of the Black performer and explains how it was finally eradicated