"In fiction, the principles are given, to find
the facts: in history, the facts are given,
to find the principles; and the writer
who does not explain the phenomena
as well as state them performs
only one half of his office."
Thomas Babington Macaulay,
"History," Edinburgh Review, 1828
Friday, February 27, 2015
When a Minstrel Show in Amherst "was considered a success"
To be precise, "considered a success both in its performance and numbers, as shown by about 350 in attendance."
The date: 1951. A few years before Brown v. Board of Education but well after supposedly decent and educated people should have known better.
Not even 65 years ago, but the distance between that time and this seems much greater.
ICYMI: Read the full story.
And afterwards, be sure to fill out the Amherst Together survey so that we can "advanc[e] community, collaboration, equity and inclusion."
Update (19 March)
Of course, it could be worse:
Belgium minister sparks scorn by 'blacking up' (CNN, 19 March 2015)
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
Well at least they said, "perhaps the last black faced minstrel show."
I vaguely remember one at my Catholic High School across the river in the 1960s.
Really--that late? Wow.
Post a Comment