Was Al Jolson a racist?
@amadeo (111948)
United States
February 17, 2019 11:39am CST
Al Jolson don black face for some of his shows.
Was he a racist ?
Below more information
I find this very interesting why he done this.
give it a read
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Information on line.Photo on line
"He needs this blackface to express a new Jewishness."
Crafton agreed that "there was a propensity for these entertainers to be assimilated Jewish immigrants, perhaps because there was some kinship felt with marginalized African-Americans as neighbors in the melting pot.”
That Jolson was so popular then, and because blackface in films was so common, "generally, at that time [it] would not have been considered out of the ordinary or offensive,” Crafton said.
No one seemingly bothered to ask the country’s black population what they thought, he added.
Lapadula contends that Jolson's rendition helped pave the way for African-American actors. Jolson was a civil rights advocate, often backing projects by black artists, including playwright Garland Anderson.
13 people like this
12 responses
@JohnRoberts (109857)
• Los Angeles, California
17 Feb 19
I do not believe Jolson was racist. Eddie Cantor and others appeared in blackface. It was common then and taken from minstrel shows.
3 people like this
@amadeo (111948)
• United States
17 Feb 19
@JohnRoberts yes very common then.I was thinking of the minstrel shows of many years ago.
2 people like this
@Deepizzaguy (94427)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
22 Feb 19
It would not bother me to be to see a blackface character compared to hearing the N word being used by rappers these days or the dreaded B word.
1 person likes this
@JohnRoberts (109857)
• Los Angeles, California
22 Feb 19
@Deepizzaguy Yes, double standard at work.
@1hopefulman (45123)
• Canada
17 Feb 19
I thought he was a great entertainer and I loved his singing.
3 people like this
@FourWalls (62063)
• United States
18 Feb 19
Yes, blackface was common then. It was a different world, and we need to remember that instead of trying to impose 2019 values on 1929.
One thing I read in doing research: "blackface" was a way that a lot of Black actors, singers, and dancers got to work in Vaudeville. As they were wearing the blackface, no one knew they were really black (except their fellow actors, who didn't object).
1 person likes this
@ThreeTeddies (2038)
• United Kingdom
17 Feb 19
In the context of the times no he wasn't. Do it today, however and all hell would break loose!
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@amadeo (111948)
• United States
17 Feb 19
@ThreeTeddies yes your right.Yes today would have been hell.
2 people like this
@GreatMartin (23677)
• Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
18 Feb 19
It was a different world back then--minstrel shows were big--Jolson was in vaudeville for many years--it was all acceptable under the 'entertainment' label.
It is sort of like Milton Berle doing drag--he wasn't anti gay--it was part of entertainment.
@JWMILLER (3280)
• Westmoreland, Tennessee
5 Mar 19
Way back then, Joplsen surely could have worn blackface without being racist, if the was a civil rights supporter.
@Deepizzaguy (94427)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
22 Feb 19
I can understand if Al used his star power to keep Blacks down instead of assisting them get into the show business. Blackface do not bother me that much if I were Black (I am a White Latino) compared to the use of the N word which is forbidden to be used in front my late parents.
@amadeo (111948)
• United States
18 Feb 19
@dgobucks226 yes I understand in those day.What I like that he talk to people and ask them if it was Okay.
This I like.He respected them.
1 person likes this
