Negative African-American stereotypes are diminishing in today’s society, according to BU history professor emeritus Joseph Boskin, who spoke yesterday during the African-American Lecture series.
Boskin’s lecture focused largely on Sambo, a children’s book character which portrays negative African-American stereotypes.
‘What is remarkable about the stereotype [Sambo] is that it lasted for so long,’ said Boskin.
Boskin used such examples as Condoleeza Rice, Richard Pryor, Michael Jordan and Bill Cosby to support his theory that the negative stereotypes of African-American individuals were being eliminated.
‘[Richard Pryor] was able in one routine to point out the foibles of blacks and whites,’ Boskin said.
He praised Pryor for helping to destroy stereotypes while entertaining people.
‘One should never permit any aspect of a stereotype to exist,’ Boskin said.
Boskin discussed what public policy on stereotyping should include, emphasizing the need for an outcry whenever stereotyping or racism occurs. He used the example that members of former President Ronald Reagan’s cabinet told racist jokes amongst one another, yet there was no public outcry even when those details were revealed through one of the member’s books.
Graduate professor Allison Blakely also spoke at the event, explaining how society ‘had extremely positive images of blacks,’ in the Middle Ages, but as time progressed, negative stereotypes became more prevalent.
‘Thousands of paintings were depicted by European artists of black magi visiting Christ,’ Blakely said.
Not only were upper-class African-Americans portrayed in a positive light, but lower-classes were as well, Blakely said. He displayed slides in which even black servants were depicted flowingly, pointing out ‘even images of black servants could be very graceful.’
Blakely also offered a slide of a Dutch book on popular sayings, and said the slide showed some of the first signs of racism. The slide showed two white men washing an black man with a caption saying: ‘A washed Moore.’ Blakely said the saying was a way of saying that blacks cannot change.
Blakely also said that when that idea was combined with the idea of blacks as evil, it contributed to racism.
Scientists tried to prove blacks inferior in many ways, including by claiming that they were the missing links, Blakely said.
‘Science stepped in during the late nineteenth and early twentieth century to reinforce negative attitudes,’ Blakely said. ‘Commercialization of negative attitudes reinforced [stereotyping].’
Natoschia Scruggs, a College of Arts and Sciences graduate student, said she agreed with Boskin but felt the stereotyping of Sambo would never entirely disappear.
‘I think Sambo has been retired in a certain form but is still with us in the form of stereotyping,’ Scruggs said. ‘I thought [the lecture] was excellent. Actually it was my favorite [of all the African-American lecture series].’
Non-BU students and faculty were also in attendance, including Nefertiti Lawrence, a local math teacher at English High School. Lawrence disagreed with Boskin’s view that African Americans are free from stereotyping and said, ‘There are more black people in high places, but not enough.’
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