Mark Twain is credited with saying, "When the end of the world comes, I want to be in Cincinnati because it's always twenty years behind the times." I live in Cincinnati ... and there are many times when I agree with Mark Twain's assessment. Today, I learn from an AfroSpear blog, Black Women In Europe, that Amsterdam may be even further behind the times.
Can you believe that they have an annual tradition of white folks wearing blackface in Amsterdam?
3 comments:
Wayne, it's the strangest thing I've ever lived through. I wish, for just a moment, I could get into a DUtch person's head to undertand why this is a beloved tradition.
Wow, now that is odd. But I'm more curious than offended, it doesn't seem to me very much like the modern Dutch to glorify something intentionally offensive.
After having read about Black Peter through the link you provided, I can understand why they like the character, but considering there are black people in Holland why can't they get a black guy to hand out gifts?
Do the Netherlands have the same history with blackface as the United States does?
Your name is Wayne?
Adrianne - Are any of the sisters that you blog with in Europe from Amsterdam area? Maybe they can give insight from local perspective...
Woozie - I honestly don't know about Dutch history as it relates to Black folks. I am also more curious than offended at this stage. Just seems strange to me.
btw, my name is Wayne (like my hero Field Negro!)...
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