It’s not surprising that many white people of the age were oblivious to the degree to which “Little Black Sambo” was used as an insulting reference to black people. Racism and segregation were such an ingrained part of American life at that time, I’m sure the wide majority of white people were completely ignorant of the day-to-day lives of black folks. Let’s put it this way: I’m sure there weren’t any black parents reading “Little Black Sambo” to their kids.
“If the bus ride were the most painful, you patently hadn’t had a mammography!”
Don’t you know it, Arkady. I begged the technician to ‘go easy on me’ this last time. She laughs and gives it one more squeeze, for good measure. I think she’s a sadist.
“Sambo, as an Indian word,[clarification needed] is a modified form of Shambhoo or Shambhu the name for lord Shiva one of the major three deities in Indian mythology, who was self incarnated. Shambhu in turn is derived from Swayambhu which means someone who is self-manifested or created by its own accord. Also Svayambhuva Manu is the first man (analogus to Adam) in Hindu mythology as he is also self manifested. In the story Sambo is shown to be of Tamilian origin, people in Tamilnadu are Dravidians who follow Hinduism and hence have Hindu names but being closer to the equator the Dravidians have comparatively darker complexion.[citation needed]
Thus, the generalization problem — Bannerman, a Scot living in India, gave an Indian character a name associated, in the U.S., with African slaves. The book’s original illustrations show a Sambo character resembling a golliwog, a European version sometimes viewed as an iconic, racist “darky” stereotype, which could be taken as a stereotype of African people. As the book made its way across the Atlantic to the U.S., the illustrations were adapted to the possibly more obvious stereotype known as blackface in the U.S. At this time, the racism of the term was not overt or hostile. But the unconscious racism evident in the blackface stereotype was clear. When the eventual public uproar brought the issue to the attention of the general public, some renounced the use of the term “Sambo,” but others embraced it as a racial slur.[citation needed] Thus, the use of “Sambo” as a racist term went from being unintentional to being open and derogatory.[citation needed]”
When my mother read us Little Black Sambo she always pointed out that it was a sub-continent tale because that’s the only place where there are tigers.
“ENY,
You know the tune, Take the A train. Duke Ellington.”
Yeah, I know. Great song. L-O-N-G subway ride!
LOL Cobble! You have to admit though, that is a good job for a sadist! Well, for them, not the patients.
It’s not surprising that many white people of the age were oblivious to the degree to which “Little Black Sambo” was used as an insulting reference to black people. Racism and segregation were such an ingrained part of American life at that time, I’m sure the wide majority of white people were completely ignorant of the day-to-day lives of black folks. Let’s put it this way: I’m sure there weren’t any black parents reading “Little Black Sambo” to their kids.
“If the bus ride were the most painful, you patently hadn’t had a mammography!”
Don’t you know it, Arkady. I begged the technician to ‘go easy on me’ this last time. She laughs and gives it one more squeeze, for good measure. I think she’s a sadist.
Arkady,
No problem.Just another public service brought to you by your friends at Brownstoner.com
That’s great, legion. I bet some readers that can use that info!
“Sambo, as an Indian word,[clarification needed] is a modified form of Shambhoo or Shambhu the name for lord Shiva one of the major three deities in Indian mythology, who was self incarnated. Shambhu in turn is derived from Swayambhu which means someone who is self-manifested or created by its own accord. Also Svayambhuva Manu is the first man (analogus to Adam) in Hindu mythology as he is also self manifested. In the story Sambo is shown to be of Tamilian origin, people in Tamilnadu are Dravidians who follow Hinduism and hence have Hindu names but being closer to the equator the Dravidians have comparatively darker complexion.[citation needed]
Thus, the generalization problem — Bannerman, a Scot living in India, gave an Indian character a name associated, in the U.S., with African slaves. The book’s original illustrations show a Sambo character resembling a golliwog, a European version sometimes viewed as an iconic, racist “darky” stereotype, which could be taken as a stereotype of African people. As the book made its way across the Atlantic to the U.S., the illustrations were adapted to the possibly more obvious stereotype known as blackface in the U.S. At this time, the racism of the term was not overt or hostile. But the unconscious racism evident in the blackface stereotype was clear. When the eventual public uproar brought the issue to the attention of the general public, some renounced the use of the term “Sambo,” but others embraced it as a racial slur.[citation needed] Thus, the use of “Sambo” as a racist term went from being unintentional to being open and derogatory.[citation needed]”
Urgh! I’m tired of being told to wait until I’m 40! I’ve got good reason to get one now.
When my mother read us Little Black Sambo she always pointed out that it was a sub-continent tale because that’s the only place where there are tigers.