“Images of black people in European popular culture at the end of the nineteenth century conformed to the perceptions of those who depicted them” (Archer-Straw, 22). Europeans began to portray Africans in a different light, yet it was not always positive. African culture was negatively depicted throughout European art, and their justification for doing so was largely based on religion. Christian whites believed that dark-skinned races were cursed and deserved to have a life of servitude. Whites saw themselves as enlightened and pure, while they associated blackness with sin and ignorance. Africans were the subordinate race, and even after slavery racism did not come to an end. Paintings depicted blacks as subservient, adoring servants. Because blacks had become threatening to the superior white race, as we learned in past readings, Europeans justified their actions of conquest by creating a non-threatening new depiction of black people.
The interest in Black culture did grow as the degrading portrayal of Africans grew into entertainment for the European theater-goer. Europeans told stories of adventure and danger. Posters showed scenes of Africans with spears and shields, portraying savagery while the white soldiers were victorious civilized gentlemen. Black culture was modern and fast-paced, and Europeans benefited greatly from it. They used black people to sell exotic products to market on their once feared African origin. Africans were transported in to reenact battles and other events. Throughout European culture, blacks were continuously portrayed as the inferior, submissive race. Along with economic and entertainment gains, Europeans also used black culture to indulge in certain fantasies. Boxing became quite popular in both black and white societies, and was a great way for both races to relive their aggressions. Many white Europeans began visiting all black establishments, and were encouraged to dance, sing, and sexually interact with blacks. Behind those doors races did not matter; all were welcome.
Although black culture was part of the new culture that Europe had created, the black race was still seen as different from them. Skin color was still the determining factor of superiority to whites. Black culture was used to justify past actions, and benefited the European in many ways.
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There seems to be a back door nature to the whole thing, as described in your blog post. There is an implicit understanding or at least enjoyment of key aspects of this transplanted and altered African culture without the official social recognition that would include the relaxing of traditional prejudices and preconceptions. That Europeans would indulge in some aspects of this new culture while condemning in broad strokes much of the whole is hypocritical, to say the least.
ReplyDeleteI think that your essay was thorough and well supported. You used many examples from the reading to support your argument. You used many examples that I did not even think of, such as aspects of religion. I also used Europe’s depictions of Africans to frame my essay. I also wrote about Europe’s attempt to create a less threatening and more welcoming African in popular culture. However, I did not connect the portrayal of Africans in popular advertisements to commerce. Clearly many products benefited from the interest in African culture in Europe.
ReplyDeleteOverall, I thought that your essay was well written and your argument was clear. I did think that your argument could have been better organized, however. You use many different examples in your essay, which confused me. I think that you should have focused more on specific examples then all the readings.