This video aired in 1994 on PBS by award winning program Frontline. Frontline is known for its amazing probing documentaries that are responsibly done.

Strangely you can no longer get this documentary.

“… nothing exists until the white man says it does.. “

Vivian Jackson (14 August 1946–12 January 2010), better known as Yabby You

Conquering lion

Written by guest writer- Melafela

There is no doubt that people from all walks of life.. All creed and colors are coming together to help suffering people in Haiti. In the midst of this a Haitian American who has been helping is country for years is having to defend himself for wanting to do what he can.

Everyone that knows Wyclef know that he’s constantly reppin’ Haiti. C’mon keep it real . There is no one under the age of 40 in Haiti that doesn’t know who Wyclef Jean is and that’s a fact. Trust me if Wyclef was slippin’ and not doing right by his people his locs wouldn’t be the only thing missing from his head.

(more…)

In America a little Dark and Lovely and all of a sudden the “Mammy” caraciture is acceptable and we move on …Grinning the whole time.

Everywhere these images …these caracitures of black people in servitude or jovial ignorance show up ..I am always impressed by how much they are grinning. What exactly is so funny ? I don’t grin when I see them.. Why exactly is Aunt Jemima so happy about.. Uncle Ben looks down right tickled pink… pun intended.

It’s not just here in the U.S. I remember seeing this picture of a box of Chinese tooth paste many years ago called Darkie Toothpaste and I almost fell out of my chair at the time.

Did I see a  bar code on it..? This wasn’t some 19th century box it was right up to date. Our “Friends” in Taiwan hadn’t heard the news that there was a black pride movement.. or had they ? Apparently they shrugged it off and kept on having Darkie with that silly grin on his face…

 Something changed though..and  Today you would see Darlie toothe paste…It’s not even clear what ethnicity the guy on the box is..but one things for sure..is that he’s grinning with that hat tilted to the side just like Darkie.

Now any sensible black person who knew the history wouldn’t dare be caught dead brushing their teeth with this toothpaste…because it was obvious that they old switcheroo happened.. or rather the old “okie doke”.

 Someone pulled the wool over black people’s eyes and they just keep on grinning and smiling.  One is tempted to think that there is something behind that grin..but when I see young African Americans playing right into the mold of the  old caricatures it would seem that these images are even more mocking then before. It’s almost as if they are saying….let’s just be more subtle but still make money. Aunt Jemima is bigger than ever. .. They found a way not to offend the sensibilities of the people they mock..along with our ubiquitous uncle Ben and the name less cook on the Cream of Wheat box. For some reason they just can’t seem to stop grinning… What exactly is so funny I wonder ?

I am sure no one really cares..

The funny thing is .. I am less concered about these packages.. To many this is old news. We already know… the problem is nothing has been done about it. Nothing has been done that makes these packages.. these vestiges of history unacceptable.

Mrs Butterworth seems a likable figure.. but who’s aunt is Jemima and who’s uncle is Ben..and who the hell is grinning about it.. ? 500 years from now when they see these boxes they will get it.. They will wonder why they found these boxes all over..

The archeologist will be even more puzzled as to why they were in so many black people’s homes.. they will probably conclude that it probably just made them grin with pride.