Black Like You: Blackface, Whiteface, Insult & Imitation in American Popular Culture

By John Strausbaugh

Book Overview

A refreshingly clearheaded and taboo-breaking look at race relations reveals that American culture is neither Black nor White nor Other, but a mix-a mongrel.

Black Like You is an erudite and entertaining exploration of race relations in American popular culture. Particularly compelling is Strausbaugh's eagerness to tackle blackface-a strange, often scandalous, and now taboo entertainment. Although blackface performance came to be denounced as purely racist mockery, and shamefacedly erased from most modern accounts of American cultural history, Black Like You shows that the impact of blackface on American culture was deep and long-lasting. Its influence can be seen in rock and hiphop; in vaudeville, Broadway, and gay drag performances; in Mark Twain and "gangsta lit"; in the earliest filmstrips and the 2004 movie White Chicks; on radio and television; in advertising and product marketing; and even in the way Americans speak.

Strausbaugh enlivens themes that are rarely discussed in public, let alone with such candor and vision:

- American culture neither conforms to knee-jerk racism nor to knee-jerk political correctness. It is neither Black nor White nor Other, but a mix-a mongrel.
- No history is best forgotten, however uncomfortable it may be to remember. The power of blackface to engender mortification and rage in Americans to this day is reason enough to examine what it tells us about our culture and ourselves. - Blackface is still alive. Its impact and descendants-including Black performers in "whiteface"-can be seen all around us today.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1585425931
• ISBN13: 9781585425938
• Release Date: August 2007
• Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 0.82 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.6" x 7.8"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

A MUST-READ FOR ALL AMERICANS

AMAZING! Great writing, humorous and frank. Finally, a book about American culture, black culture, (and now, since we have discovered we all came "out of Africa") world culture, that's really worth the time it takes to read a book! Couldn't put it down. Takes you right up through to Rap, Rock, Pop, Gangsta'Lit, and Broadway. Hard to believe that John Strausbaugh's a white guy. You might want to check out his article and video in the New York Times Online Arts section (Strausbaugh is the host of the video podcast series on New York "Weekend Explorer"). Look for "On the Trail of Brooklyn's Underground Railroad." It pertains to Black Like You. Strausbaugh gives an expert tour about Brooklyn's abolitionists and shows a section of Brooklyn that was just (September, 2007) dubbed "Abolitionist's Place" supposedly acknowledging the historic importance of the underground railroad. It is obviously a hypocritical move on the part of New York's politicians, since, as Strausbaugh points out, all the "abolishonist" houses are about to be razed to put up a parking lot. But, back to the book: it covers the abolitionists, entertainment and every reality about race and culture that has been hush hush until Strausbaugh had the balls to speak up!

It's About Time

It's about time somebody had the guts to tackle a "taboo" subject like this one! Strausbaugh's careful reseach, keen perceptions and biting sense of humor make this book an enthralling and mind-expanding read.