Q&A: David Pilgrim, Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia curator
By Stephanie Siek, CNN
(CNN) – Generations of Americans have grown up intimately acquainted with stereotypes of African-Americans, from “mammies” serving Aunt Jemima pancakes, to “Little Black Sambo” at evening story time. In between, people could use washing powder, notepads, ashtrays, tea towels, sugar bowls, swizzle sticks and tobacco marketed with images of African-Americans portrayed as not only mammies and sambos, but dimwitted jungle savages, google-eyed golliwogs, lewdly sexual Jezebels, watermelon-eating pickaninnies and lazy Stepin’ Fetchits. Racist objects were used to open beer bottles, dust lint from coats, hold doors, catch ashes from cigarettes and lure fish, especially in the early 20th century.
The Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia owns thousands of items that illustrate these and other stereotypes and attitudes about African-Americans. Housed for About 15 years in a small unused classroom at Big Rapids, Michigan’s Ferris State University, it moved into a $1.3 million, 3,500-square foot campus space in April.
“I used to claim if you named an object, I could find a racist version of it,” said David Pilgrim, Ferris State University vice president for diversity and inclusion, who created and now curates the museum.
Pilgrim, a sociology professor, said he hopes that the museum can one day serve as a place where visitors can witness and deconstruct all kinds of stereotypes. The collection includes objects that denigrate women, gays and lesbians, Mexican-Americans and Native Americans.
People often criticize or question the museum, and say it's best the materials are forgotten. Museum organizers say they're sometimes accused of promoting racism. Pilgrim agrees the museum's collection is offensive, and says the problems of the present can't be analyzed without remembering the past.
Here's what he had to say about the museum's origins and mission.
CNN: How many artifacts are currently in the museum’s collection?
David Pilgrim: Our collection is probably about 9,000 items – and maybe half of that is being displayed. I’ll give you some general categories – the biggest is anti-black caricature objects. And then we have what I would call segregation memorabilia (such as “white only” signs). The other category is what we might call “positive” pieces or African-American heritage pieces – civil rights memorabilia, Negro League baseball memorabilia, articles about African-American achievement.
We also have a couple thousand pieces on other groups. We have a showcase outside where we’ve placed objects about the stereotyping of Native Americans and women, to send the message that this is the next leg of the journey. I never had it as an intention in recent years that this would be the final place we built. We were in a small room, a 500-square foot room, before the renovation – and I’d like to start putting some of that material in there, and I’d like to build those collections, especially some of the material on women.
CNN: Where did you find all these objects?
Pilgrim: For most of my life, I collected in flea markets. It is certainly true that once the internet exploded that became the primary way that I collected. But I’ve also gone into peoples’ homes, purchased other peoples’ collection. We’re now in a position where some people are donating their collections. But in terms of me reaching in my pocket and purchasing – most of that has been in flea markets, antique stores or internet auctions like ebay and Yahoo.
CNN: Do you remember the first piece of racist memorabilia you acquired? How did you get it?
Pilgrim: I grew up in Mobile, Alabama, and (in the early 1970s) when I was 12 or 13, I was at one of those hybrid flea markets-slash-carnival type deals; they had merchants that had all sort of stuff they were selling. One guy, in addition to the other stuff, was selling “Mammy” salt and pepper shakers. I bought them, and I broke them… Just threw them down right in front of him. I guess I had the makings of an activist even then. Or I had the makings of a jerk.
I do not remember (reaction of the seller.) This would have been the early '70s or something, at that time he could have pretty much called me whatever he wanted to. It’s almost surreal, I remember things about the day, it being very hot, the smell from these sausage-type things making me queasy. I remember these were sitting on the edge of the table, and I remember breaking it, but I don’t remember anything else. I don’t want to take too much credit – it might also be the fact that it was just ugly, and that he (a white vendor) was selling it. I don’t think anyone can think of an incident more in life than I can of that one.
CNN: When did acquiring these objects cross the line from being a hobby to being a more organized collection?
Pilgrim: When I was an undergrad I started giving lectures to community groups - I saw the power of a visual aid - I was speaking to all black audiences at that time, and they all got it. Some people would give me things. Other than the first time, I don’t think I was ever sort of a liberator collector - someone liberating it from the merchant or the larger society. At least not consciously. It started in a fledgling kind of way, using this to educate, and then became more about that. It’s just the power - a picture is worth a thousand words, but a three-dimensional object got to be worth at least that too.
CNN: What is the best argument for retaining these kind of racist artifacts and displaying them? Why do we need to remember?
Pilgrim: One of the interesting things (critics say) is the idea that we’re a shrine to racism - in a very real sense, that’s like saying a hospital is a shrine to disease. It’s silly. But I do understand that many Americans prefer not to discuss race in a setting where their ideas are challenged. We don’t like talking about some periods of history, but if we don’t do that, we’re not a mature nation, and that’s not a mature education.
In the same sense, it’s consistent with more of an eyes-on, hands-on teaching approach.
We are doing it in almost the opposite way that a lot of people approach race - we’re not only not avoiding it, we’re dealing with it in the most direct way you could imagine.
If you look at any measure - any survey, any poll that dealt with attitudes whites had toward blacks, and you look at the stereotypes that existed, those were all reflected in material culture. They become a barometer of the attitudes and abuses directed at African-Americans. If you look today, you’ll see for some percentage of the white psyche, the stereotypes and caricatures are reflected in the pieces. I think what’s more damaging isn’t just that they reflected existing stereotypes, but that they shaped attitudes and values to come as related to blacks. We show cartoons in the museum from the '30s, '40s, '50s. Imagine you were a child and watching those – they’re not just reflecting (contemporary attitudes), they’re also shaping (future ones).
CNN: You have a huge amount of acquisitions that reflect the pre-civil-rights-era. What are some of the most recent objects in the museum?
Pilgrim: People are surprised to see objects made just five years ago. I can’t say it’s the newest because we acquire new stuff every day, but it includes the anti-Obama presidential election stuff. We did buy a miniature President Obama lawn jockey. There’s no shortage of new examples. If you go to Café Press, TShirtHell.com and ebay, there’s stuff being cranked out like you wouldn’t believe. Some of the new stuff are reproductions of old stuff. Not just to look the same, but taking the old image, from "Nigger Hair Tobacco,” for example, and placing it on the face of a clock. Old image, new object. There’s also the “Plain Brown Rapper” – this Halloween mask.
And if there’s a race-based incident that occurs nationally, within one week we will own a material object pertaining to it. With Don Imus’ unfortunate remarks about the Rutgers women’s basketball team, within three days we had racist stuff related to that.
CNN: How have you seen these stereotypical representations of African-Americans change over the years?
Pilgrim: Some of the old objects are being reproduced exactly as they were, because there’s a market for that. I can find a mammy cookie jar that looks exactly like one from 1920. But also you see other kinds of caricature - like the image of the brute – the black young man portrayed as criminals and menaces and rapists and whatever else. That image in the 1920s and '30s would have shown a nappy-haired black guy with a razor in his hand. Today you’d see a guy with a gun in his hand, dressed in the manner of hip-hop culture. But it’s the same stereotype.
One major difference today is that there is now a market for positive images of African-Americans. But there are some periods where you really have to hustle to find a lot of mass-produced positive images. But now there’s an incredible market of positive material out there, what I call redemptive pieces. Statues or busts or sculptures of not just real African-Americans, but African-American young people in graduation gowns.
CNN: What do you hope people take away from their visit to the Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia?
Pilgrim: It’s going to sound mawkish, but I really do believe in the triumph of dialogue, otherwise I couldn’t be in higher education. I hope we’ve created an intelligent space where people can talk about race and learn about race. When it’s all said and done we’re an academic resource. This is just another way to teach.
About In America
What defines you? Maybe it’s the shade of your skin, the place you grew up, the accent in your words, the make up of your family, the gender you were born with, the intimate relationships you chose to have or your generation? As the American identity changes we will be there to report it. In America is a venue for creative and timely sharing of news that explores who we are. Reach us at inamerica@cnn.com.
Black in America
iReport
CNN...bring it up again and again and again...but I will not apologize anymore as I have apologized for my ancestors over 552 times.
How is what he is saying a blatant lie? Tell me, with an open mind, why Africa is the way it is? We send them aid, and it is still a war torn, poverty ridden continent with incessant famine. On the other end of the spectrum, the USA and Europe (white-run countries) are much, much better off. Yes, they still have their problems, but at least they arent dealing with problems that should have been solved a long time ago. Please don't call this man a white supremacist when he is simply noting what he observes.
What's the matter, hon? A little uncomfortable?
but what about Genghis Khan? he killed wayyyyy more than hitler did. and he was not white, so your argument is invalid
Um no that would be Josef Stalin at about 20 million give or take a few million.....but thanks for playing the "I have no concept of History" game.
The concept of race is modern, neo Darwinism, that originated in modern Europe and transported to the Americas. Unfortunately it originated in post-Reconquista Spain and spread north. As a Marxists I do see divisons in Society but they are based on class, not race.
poverty is a symptom, not a cause. my neighbor was poor 10 yrs ago. they're asian immigrants, and they're comfy middle class now.
republicans and democrats and a few other lesser parties should all have their own display section at the museum and own up to their role in racsim.
They need to add a latin and a white display as well
Karl – it's not a mystery, it's the physical environment in which the races evolved that shaped their cognitive abilities.
All humans started out as Africans and then migrated North. The groups that went North encountered the brutal weather of the Ice Age and eventually evolved into Whites and Asians. The group that was left behind (the Blacks) did not evolve under the same selective pressures and that is where racial differences come from.
For more info on this subject, I highly recommend "Race, Evolution and Behavior" by Phillipe J Rushton.
I wonder if the opening scene of the movie 2001 will be included?
No, it isn't. "Better" in the sense you mean, isn't even a concept in genetics. I would try to explain African origin hypothesis, migration, evolutionary adaptation and environmental niche exploitation to you, but something tells me you haven't gotten that far in high school yet.
Wow...I love the idea of a Museum, I have a racially mixed family, we love one another. Reading some of these posts
reminded me of a joke. "It was the devils convention – the devils were in charge of earth (this is a Joke) and they got
to hide God – but where- the top of a Mountain? No man will look there – the depths of the sea – no another said, he's
curious he'll look there, I know... I know yelled another – hide him INSIDE OF MAN (White Man, Black Man, Red Man or
Brown Man, Yellow Man ... Yeah they all yelled Man will never look there! God must look at us as defiant little 3 year olds! We should take a peak at what we were like when we were only arrogant 2 year olds. I say Yes to the Museum and I can't wait until we evolve ALL of us to maturity!
Hear, hear!
Amen my brother sister mother father! Love
This is our (American) history. I for one acknowledge this, and would go to the museum if I lived closer. I am ashamed of many of the other white posters on here who seem to be searching for victimhood citing instances of modern violence and hypothetical "white guy walks through harlem" scenarios. Racism is alive and well for every race right now. The best we can do is acknowledge this, face our demons on display in this museum, learn from our mistakes and continue to move closer to equality and mutual understanding. Anything less is a disservice to all Americans.
Thank you, Geoff. That was very well said!
Geoff... You've given my Soul that warm fuzzy feeling... thanks for sharing your point of view!
And your point is?? lol
That's it. Keep the hate alive. Wonderful.
The whole GOP should be on display at Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memoribilia.
For what? abolishment of slavery?
After the end of the cvil war blacks were still subject to racism, jim crow, men, women and children lynched at will and the republicans did nothing.
You mean the democrats should be on display.
Oh, you mean the republicans want them to come legally. Stupid GOP I'm sure all those hispanics trying to do the right thing and get here legally really enjoy the link skippers.
And, in this election year, CNN wants you to remember, if you vote against Obama, this is what you are for...
He's wrong. If you keep feeding oppressive ideas into the black population they will never escape that mind-set. That's why there are problems now. From 1970 until recently the race problem has been quiet, but since they started preaching oppression in their churches and having plays about slavery all the time the racial problem has emerged again.
Ferris State University is in a small mostly white town in Northern Michigan and I really do not understand why this Professor would set up his Race Museum there. I really doubt there are many black students at that small University. They did not have Jim Crow laws in Michigan.
Michigan is a hotbed of racism and a very Republican state as well. There are plenty of racist hate groups and haters in Michigan who would love to laugh at the racist stuff in this museum. I have no doubt they show up and snicker at the racist humor and puff up with racist pride so they can feel superior to "them".
Racism is a group-identlty expression of xenophobic delusions. It is very much like a religion in that respect.
Jeanine, if you live in Michigan, it is in a different Michigan than I live.
\
Get over it. As long as you hate you'll be sick.
It's "better than we"... and you're not, you know.
Ahhh.. the good ol days. Bring back Jimm Crow laws and make america safe again!!!
There should be a full-length mirror at the front door
(of the CNN comments section)
Wow a Democrat memorabilia museum.
I guess your mother enjoys brothers from the trees to,Seeing that that is where she gets laid from and not your little white....
Perhaps he only meant they couldn't go to any REAL school.
like grade school
The fact is that you can't handle freedom wherever you are in the world. 600,000 rapes a year in SA, so good it stopped apartheid, isn't it? No fixing you anywhere. The best thing is complete and final separation.
I don't understand why people are upset by being called racist. It doesn't bother me at all. To me, racism is just the natural result of a critical look at the genetic realities of humans. Political correctness is the only reason for the ridiculous assumption that all races are equal in any sense but outward anatomical appearance.
You know that what you said is completely false right?
And evolution always produces races of a given species that are equal in every way....right?
well,,,yes
I suppose your retarded son will be considered to be less of a person and you will chain him to the bedpost
Sal -Jesse Owens can beat any white guy in athletics, So can Carl Lewis, Jordan and a host of others. Does it mean all blacks are always better than all whites in athletics? There are some very smart black scientists and other high achievers who are better than most whites intellectually. Do you want to make your racial superiority assumptions based on that? All whites are not born alike, and all blacks are not born alike. Suppressing other cultures is the only way racial superiority was achieved till now.
Oh please ROger, SUPPRESSION of Black Culture is the reason there is such a disparity between Black and White success? Then WHY is Africa so far BEHIND EVERYONE ELSE even though Human beings are all OUT OF AFRICA thus giving the blacks at least a 10,000 YEAR HEAD START on all of the other races. ANd yet even with that head start, Africa is no more civilized today than it was 10,000 years ago!
So Sal,Should we assume that because you are White that you have anatomical problems satisfying your wife?
Now that's a good one!!!! I'm sure she getting it from one of our brothers.
You have a habit of doing exactly as you claim others do. "BLACK HATE TOWARD WHITES GREW DUE TO THE DISCRIMINATION WE FACE." So all Whites discriminate? mmmmm, makes me wonder how a Black man got to be President of this nation as most of the people who voted for him were White.
you should probably stop posting, you are not helping any cause except racism
Why Oprah don't have her own pancake mix?
Racism will never go away, it's our nature, but one can learn to live with it and tolerate each other, but the blame game will go on. I am german and we will be reminded every single day about our history for as long as I and my children children's live.
Not that I or even my parents were even alive during Hitlers days, but the world will make sure we do not forget our history. In fact I agree, it should not be forgotten, but enough already with the constant preaching.
You're pretty picky with your hate. Why don't you hate racist Libs the same?
You shouldn't laugh too much, we are better than you!
I like this stuff. I'm not sure why this would be considered 'racist'. The sign simply states where black are supposed to be. Geez. Lighten up.
here is the problem with what you said – and this comes from someone who is mixed race, you hating "white people" does not do justice to anyone even yourself. If a "white person" harms you, then defend yourself against that person, not against all "white people". Also, if you haven't faced any discrimination, then what are you hating for? Something that happened in the past to someone else? It makes no sense at all and only begets more racism – racists (like you) are part of the circle of ignorance, I challenge you to break the circle.
Apparently this caps-supremacist is opposed to mixed-case discourse. You disgust me, sir.
Try and make me....you racist trash
As the children used to reply; You're made...
Damn! I thought it had been a thousand years. Oh well, maybe next year the lie will have grown to a thousand years.
God, if only we could!
I object to the museum's inclusion of CHEF as modern racism.
Who said anything about whites and blacks? Everyone should try to prove themselves to everyone else, but in constructive ways. Imagine what the world would be like if everyone thought that way and only tried to improve themselves, instead of being lazy, apathetic, and hostile, passing blame at the first opportunity.
But, you would rather troll a racially-charged message board, turning any and all comments into black vs. white. Let me know how much that accomplishes/gets things to change, buddy.
It works for me. Keep hating!
They should have given it the true name of what it really is The Jim Crow Museum of White American Racist Memorabilia. It's full of racist memorabilia created by their people not any other race.
let's not point fingers , what are the odds a white man walking alone at night through Harlem would make it out ok? how about some parts of Detroit, Philly, or Chicago, or for that matter most of DC. Racism works both ways buddy , i believe it's wrong from either side but i do get tired of hearing about Racism towards African Americans, with no mention about Racism against Whites if we are to abolish Racism as a whole then it has to be equal and across the board. You cant expect for Whites to treat Blacks equally when Blacks dont treat Whites equally it's a two way street. anything less is hypocrisy.
A white couple was beaten severly in Norfolk, VA a couple weeks ago by a crowd of approximately 100 black teens and the local paper did not print it until May 1. The community there is livid over the omission, but that is become typical in the MSM and sometimes even the local news. Whites are getting beat, raped and assaulted everywhere. Portland, OR has had its third flash mob robbery in a month.
Wow, I've just spent an hour reading all of these posts. I agree with many people on here. White people are not the only racists people out here–black people are very much racists also. I have another story to share about a white man in Mobile, AL, who was beaten by a "mob" of black people last week which NO news agency reported. The guy's name is Matthew Owens and the last I knew he was in critical condition. Black people wanted de-segregation in the 60's, but we all really want to stay segregated. I don't believe that blacks have had disadvantages all these years to keep them in poverty. Blacks can get an education the same way I did–drown in student loan debt. You won't be denied that! No excuses for behavior that goes on in "predominantly black neighborhoods" or "predominantly white neighborhoods." (Segregation by choice!!) I'm embarrassed that there are black people with my last name because I know my ancestors owned slaves and I know that's where it came from. As far as some people saying that black people can trace their ancestors farther back than white people....I don't believe that or IF it's true, it's because slave owners kept good records. I would love to go see this museum...see what my parents lived through in their youth during the Civil Rights Movement. But, I don't care what color your skin is, you CAN better yourself with a good education.
@ viaquest. Yours may be the only intelligent post on here today that I have read. Great job.
Duane is obviously not soically conscious, every comment spewed is just a mix of uneduacated rants laced with bigotry. Blacks need to stop making excuses for the things that affected them as a race as recent as 48 years ago? These things arent excuses if they are sad truths. So soon as the chains were broken were they all supposed to go and become doctors and lawyers? Guess the whites who previously owned them or by law could disenfranchise them were supposed to have open arms and let them inherit the jobs that the held for several generations before? Dude you need to go somewhere else with that hatred until you can produce at least some more competent logic along with it. Silly Rabbit
Where do you get this junk on France? France never had black slavery. They had colonies. But blacks commit lots of crimes in France today. It's just that Muslims commit more. Paris has been dangerous after dark due to blacks for decades.
Yes it is. Some people need to get a life and others need to get over it and stop trying to get back at the others.
Yes it does mean that! CNN loves their ratings and $$$!!
I once knew a Navy Chief who told me that 'It's not just here in America, Everywhere we go in the world we are disliked.' Apparently the worst seem to be Asia and Russia. Europe also rates very high on the racist scale.
Welfare checks can't solve genetic problems!
I couldn't believe how non-diverse some other countries are in the world once I traveled outside of the US. We surely have problems with race relations, but you're right, the US is far from being the worst offender.
... and you're one of them.
my asian neighbors built their own successful restaurant business in 8 years
but there are a lot of high-crime asian neighborhoods, terrible asian schools, most asians are on welfare, foodstamps, assisted housing, gov't medical. they need affirmative action and quotas, too
They get some affirmative action, but the history of Asians in America is not being pulled out of their country and turned into slaves in this one.
Maybe it's because the money and economic favoritism fled to the suburban areas with whites, leaving blacks, etc to fend for themselves, in the midst of racism and discrimination. It's happened all over the country, same patterns in all major cities.
Old persian empire assimilation by idiocy. Black africans invented the banjo. So why arent more black americans playing guitar?
You dont remember bb king? Or muddy waters? Jimi hendrix? Wow bro your lost. And with all due respect sir, you know i love you.
I love you. You hate me. Whos thw hater? You are. Im mixed. And PROUD of that. love
If Obama had a son he wouldn't like this museum.
It's amazing how the "brute" actually described white men (as they really were then and now)..Go figure. Way to project a false image onto someone else, as a means of controlling how a society thinks. Black men then and today are the most in need, yet the least helped.
No id say black women are treated worse. Breaks my heart (
Poor, poor Juggernaut. What a wast of humanity.
Old persian empire assimilation by idiocy. Black africans invented the banjo. So why srent more black americans playing guitar?
If Zimmerman gets off Soledad O'Brien is going to go ballistic.
You only read wrights illuminati sect doctrine. Why dont u try researching the US census?
13 cartels. And yes one of the cartels is black muslim. Welcome to the real world.
Those days there was no saggy pants or no bling bling, no flavor flave...
yep, just like O.J Simpson
Juggernaut, Let's compare the number of whites killed by blacks to the number of blacks killed by whites since 1964. Ditto for rape.
How come they don't show the sign that says, " Other Waiting Woom For Weft Onwy"?
How come you never hear about all the historic discrimination toward other groups? The view of Irish as drunken trash. Or how things like Prohibition were basically aimed at Italian and German immigrants to make them adapt to Anglo-American puritan values or leave? Oh wait...that's probably not politically correct huh? It doesn't neatly fit into a simple check mark box in the media.
Ironwolf, it is because Italians, Germans, and Irish assimilated over time. By they 1960s, these 'white' people were holding better jobs, were educated, and moved into the mainstream as their kids were no longer labeled; instead they were white Americans. Blacks however, continue to live with the perpetual negative stereotypes. Even their children and children's children experience the bane of racism. As an Italian-American, my grandparents experienced discrimination, but my father experienced virtually none. By the time I came along, I was just presumed "white" and my Italian-ness was not ever considered.
I'm glad things are working out for your family, but it's not dead everywhere. Maybe it's because I grew up in a predominately white area, but I was often mocked for being part Irish. We always made fun of the Polish. Everyone had "feelings" about Italians. Just look at the "guido" stereotype being perpetuated by the Jersey Shore crowd.
@ A....you make a good point. The stereotypes are still pervasive especially on TV. I guess I am speaking from the perspective of a Californian. Having never grown up on the east coast, I was shielded from the mean stereotypes that the Irish and Italians and the Jews have to face.
Its a classic racist tactic to accuse others of "race-baiting" when they point out that racism exists. You've outed yourself, my bigoted friend
We had less problems back then. Everyone had good jobs and crime was not an issue. We should have left everything like it was.
Im glad it did not.....No way I should have to give up my seat on a bus because some one is white.
They still have places for Whites only..its called Graduate school....I have 0 blacks in any of my classes.
Well i cant get into those grad schools. im white black and cherokee and my family has lost a lot. Why are us black folks playing the banjo? We invented it. Wake up
Johnny Orlando- You CLEARLY do not attend any of the Harvard graduate or professional schools. How is the Art Department of Podunk University's School of Quacks treating you and your exclusively white classmates of whom you speak?
600,000 dead people of all colors freed the slaves you morons!And the were all colors….including euros. Guys i dont know if you know this or not…. There WERE black slave owners in this country ALSO!! You really need to research history from all angles! Good lord are Americans this clueless. And with all due respect sirs and madams…you know I love you.
The black slave owners thing is an interesting story. A lot of them were apparently people that 'bought' their own parents due to laws that said that freed slaves had to leave the state after a number of years, and so by keeping their parents officially classed as slaves it kept the families together. Sad state of affairs but apparently a necessary one.
I just learned this recently and I was amazed. Really sad. We have progressed, but there is a long way to go yet.
You do have a point. Wear a hat and maybe it won't show.
Now, get back outside. The sand misses your head.
time to execute the former slave owners! oh wait, the only living former slave owners are blacks living in Africa, the last continent to make slavery illega when Slavery in Mauritania was criminalized in August 2007l.
Way to go Africa! Saving the world from slavery!
48 years ago!!! holy cow...guess you all should just give them whatever they want and not expect anything in return as we all feel soooo sorry for the poor little blacks.......they need to repect the laws, value an education....respect will follow
and there its the whiter skinned arabs keeping the darker skinned africans as slaves.
go figure.
Mark, first of all I saw this beating on the news, in fact I believe on CNN. Second of all, it was a horrible incident, but relatively minor; no one died or was seriously hurt. Certainly worse things happened on saint patty's day. Can you really not understand why the shooting of Trayvon Martin is not more newsworthy than a non-lethal assault and robbery?
I have CNN on every day for the past 2 years, from 7am – 8 pm. They have only mentioned this story in passing during another story. Never covered it.
Drew, Have you seen anything on CNN about the story posted by mclute about 30 black teens beating up 2 reports? No. Matter of fact, the newspaper that those 2 reporters worked for, The Virginian Pilot, didn't publish a story about it either. They buried the story for 2 weeks.
Who cares? Like I said, it was a non-lethal assault and robbery. It's horrible, but it happens all of the time and wasn't really a big deal in the scheme of things. That white dude lost his clothes, and Trayvon lost his life
Ray, I've seen nothing on CNN but I have read about the story from other sources. Horrible, but if anything it highlights the need for a fuller discussion of race in this country
Drew is Mr. Excuse man for all blacks....he knows...just ask him....hahaha
so the next time a white crowd beats a black person, CNN should just gloss over it? yea, thats your agenda.
Check out the Drudge Report today. He links out to a report from NYC where 12 girls attacked 2 on a subway train. No mention of race in the article, only a description of what each of the 12 was wearing, but the accompanying video tells the rest of the story.
There should be an entire wing dedicated to the Jeremiah Wright.
Did you see the St. Patrick's day beating of the wihte tourist that got lost in Washington DC? They beat him stole everything he had and stripped him naked then left himi there in the street. The video was made by a black man laughing and cheering. That is racism because that didn't hit the news either, but Youtube catches all!!
Happened in Baltimore, not DC.... Just verified it on CNN.
Actually Mark, I read that story and seen the video on THIS SITE.
that was baltimore dummy but it makes no difference to one trying to incite racism among it's foremost practioners. If it had been a crowd of whites would it be any difference to you?
you people invented these labels and seperations now you want them to go away over night. If blacks can be held responsible for the actions of a few then whites can be held equally responsible for the sins of their forefathers right up to your present blog.
Blacks are racist to, it just doesn't get told by the media. If a white man dates a black woman, the black men will call her a sell-out. But that isn't racism I guess.
Enough is enough. I am sure if the White slave owners had known this would go on for years and years they would have picked their own cotton. Let it go!!! I have not nor will I ever own or have a slave; so don't punish me for others actions.
Lol, how is the existence of a museum a "punishment?"
good old Abe wanted to ship them all back to Africa but sadly it was to expensive
600,000 dead people of all colors freed the slaves you morons!And the were all colors....including euros. Guys i dont know if you know this or not.... There WERE black slave owners in this country ALSO!! You really need to research history from all angles! Good lord are Americans this clueless. And with all due respect sirs and madams...you know I love you.
It's American history you fool
Umm...shouldn't that be "goggle eyed golliwogs", not "google eyed golliwogs".
No. "Goggles" are the eye wear used when swimming or skiing.
You are a twit. It's people like you that cause problems.
whatever....god you liberals just love to keep reminding blacks how "bad" they had it....no blacks today were ever slaves (except to crack maybe). Instead of a big pity party for blacks, why don't you help the black community (and not by giving them more free stuff)……encourage them to value an education, respect the law, be a father to the kids they produce, pick up a paint brush and/or a broom and take care of where they live? Blacks are 11% of the population yet are responsible 50% of the murders….and 9 of 10 of those murders are black on black. They HATE whites………they had better do something as blacks are cost our society way to much in social programs, crime and the like…….blacks need to get their crap together!!!!!
"They hate whites"...... wow, they must all think alike and do the same things. Such a sad and ignorant comment.
A highly racist and stereotypical statement from someone who (a) knows no Blacks except the ones (all) he hates on).
(b) Repeating the old saws of the iniquity of the "Black Race"
(c) diliberatley finding and promoting any incident, article, or general idea that Blacks are inherently not accepting of precieved white morality (what a laugh!)
You don't want to hear what the "whites" ought to do. Law abiding, everyday decent, moral AMERICANS of COLOR don't want to be lumped in to any criminal, immoral actions by anyone.
When you can question your own moral interpretude then maybe you can talk about someone elses (but i doubt it.)
The racism is ignoring and making excuses for the fact that 13% of the population commits more than 1/2 of ALL murders in the US.
Millions to the TSA for protecting planes from American Terrorists but not a cent to protect the people from the killers statistically most likely to kill anyone.
Crime is related to poverty, not the race of the criminal. More blacks live in poverty because they have been systematically disadvantaged through out this country's history.
they are poor because they do not value and education.......dummy. See Obama.....
Education is ridiculously expensive; a lot of poor people can't even afford it, because they have to go to work instead. You need to be a little more critically minded about the way race impacts our society
BS....stop making excuses for all thier failures.....thats all liberals do....do think all blacks are dumb??? thats how you all treat them....like 12 year olds....they need to grow up and contribute to society......
I was poor and joined the army and got it thru the service....they can do the same....not including all the grants and crap they have access too.....more excuses
Many blacks do contribute to society; I never suggested that they were stupid
most do not....the truth will set you free.....why are you so opposed to challanging them to be better? do you think what happened in the past gives them a free ride now? no way......all free rides do is set them up for future failure......stop making excuse after excuse for them as it will HELP them if you (and I) demand that they live and raise thier kids to respect an education....respect the laws....that takes NO MONEY....
What do you want to do? put them in concentration or re-education camps? Is it any wonder your kind of "white person" is despised in some communities? You sound like a NAZI ! But this is typical of closet racists. You will not see this coward on a street corner espousing his views, he KNOWS what that will get him and it will be black peoples fault (UGH!)
I hope we can figure out what % of this 13% are the killers so we can round them up. Is it 100% of this 13%? Saldly poverty is the most common trait in killers, not race... And not enough people care about the poor.
Do they have pictures of Reginald Denney's face?
Many Americans were either not alive or not in the country during this time. This is important.
Like it our not such things are part of our culture.
Is there a display on how the national media stays silent on black on white crime now but screams from the rooftops and manipulates stories on the ever so rare white on black incidents?
ya its called Media bias. The media doesn't want whites to think that crime is high amoung minorities.
Sounds like some people on here need to visit the museum...and reflect.
Unfortunately, they'd probably feel at home.
When will you be leaving? Perhaps you need to not pass judgement on others
Where is the museum for Racism against American-Indians? land stolen, people killed, people uprooted. That's the real tragedy!
There are several including one in DC, and this one has a native section – please read the article
This museum does carry artifacts or racism against American Indians. And all racism is a tragedy
Yep, that's the 'real' tragedy... guess that 'slavery' thing was just a little suffering.
hay mR.excuse man....no one alive today was a slave in the south.....LET IT GO!!! for the sake of everyone.....how long do you liberals plan on letting blacks use that as a cruch???
Compared to systematic genocide?
I would be interested in visiting, an argument against this sort of display as bolstering the resove of racists is like saying the Holocaust Museum does the same for Neo Nazis – if you aren't racist or a Nazi then you will find both educational
Actually, the Holocaust museums temp exhibit is on Nazi propaganda. It is actually pretty interesting to look at it and see how something like that could happen.
ohh, how relevant. Lets see who else is racist... Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, lets name some more.
NOT
Have you been sniffing glue?
Is there a Church's Chicken stand on display?
thank-God when people are educated the differences are minimal, Obstacles are overcome and the complexes disappear.
Then why do we have music that speaks of women in such a course way and that threatyens police and thw man (white people/business owners white or black) that education doesn't seem to stick at a very high rate.
..."the problems of the present can't be analyzed without remembering the past."
If true, why do many schools no longer have students read "Tom Sawyer" or "Huck Finn"?
The racist term used there is part of our historical past
Because school principals are either idiots or afraid of being sued, or misguided folks have requested that they be removed from the curriculum
Couldn't agree more. The schools have become chicken *hits and people too sensitive
Because instead of reading Tom Sawyer or Huck Finn (fiction), they read actual history books instead(facts). The idea really isn't that overpowering....
Ok, so will they also include historically relevant articles of past bias towards the physically disabled, the mentally disabled, nerds, geeks, the athletically challenged, ugly, fat, short, slow, weak, frail, etc etc etc etc etc.
Ugh.
In all our liberalism we divide more and more. They've basically just handed racists their own museum to celebrate our ignorant past!
I would be interested in visiting, an argument against this sort of display as bolstering the resove of racists is like saying the Holocaust Museum does the same for Neo Nazis – if you aren't racist or a Nazi then you will find both educational
That is a liberal white person's reply. How many people of color would agree with you?
You are talking about two completely different subjects. This is about race not disabilities
I wonder what the gift shop looks like.
Next question!
Awesome comment!!! Thanks for the laugh
If there's an issue with this sort of thing, it's that there's a risk of compartmentalizing racism for people, treating it as "an ugly part of our history." However, that ignores the ugliness in the present. I can pretty much guarantee you that some people will walk through there and go, "Wow, people were racist back then! I'm glad we're not like that now" and learn nothing. These sorts of museum pieces only reflect a time when open racism was acceptable and amusing. It's not gone now at all–it's just not as visible now.
True, but the article states that they also display modern-day racist artifacts, such as those defaming Obama. I feel that this will insure that people will realize racism is alive and well
Is there a picture of Al Shapton, Jesse Jackson or Marion Barry?
Zing!!!
Yes, the pictures are there...just below your own picture!
and to the left of yours
Yes, on each other.
wonder if the papers for Affirmative Action will make it into the museum?
Little Black Sambo is from India, not Africa. They don't have tigers in Africa and the Brits would naturally confuse the dark Indians as black-colored people.
:O
Africa for africans, asia for asians, white countries for everybody
...and dungeons for the likes of you I guess?
Thanks for the laugh.
Have fun in South Africa..... the Africans sure have.
White countries like Europe? The US wasnt a white country it was the Native Americans home so white people cant really claim it as their own.
These things still exist in Australia. The world should know how racist Australians are till today , that country and its racist people should be exposed for the world to know, in hope they may change in the future.
I completely agree with you James! Australia has open hate crimes that too mostly against students of other countries who are legally there and PAYING to get an education. Today I am a successful consultant, having travelled around the globe but Australia is one place I will NEVER go! That country was created to keep prisoners and that trait hasn't left their blood line!
Not sure where I first heard this saying but it's true: America has the South and the British have Australia.
2nd part is not true mate!
Planning my next vacation
When is the last time you saw a Latino win an academy award for Best Actor or Best Picture or an Emmy, etc.? Racism is alive and well and not JUST WITHIN THE BLACK COMMUNITY.
Name me a latino who deserved a best actor or actress award?
2004, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Best Actress Maria Full of Grace, Nominated
1957, Anthony Quinn, Wild Is the Wind, Nominated
1964, Anthony Quinn, Zorba the Greek, Nominated
2011, Demián Bichir, A Better Life, Nominated
1952, Anthony Quinn, Viva Zapata!, Won
1956, Anthony Quinn, Lust for Life, Won
1948, José Ferrer, Joan of Arc, Nominated
1950, José Ferrer, Cyrano de Bergerac, Won
1952, José Ferrer, Moulin Rouge, Nominated
1961, Rita Moreno, West Side Story, Won
1993, Rosie Perez, Fearless, Nominated
2000, Benicio del Toro, Traffic, Won
2000, Joaquin Phoenix, Gladiator, Nominated
2003, Benicio del Toro, 21 Grams, Nominated
2005, Joaquin Phoenix, Walk the Line, Nominated
2000, Javier Bardem, Before Night Falls, Nominated
2010, Javier Bardem, Biutiful, Nominated
2007, Javier Bardem, No Country for Old Men, Won
2006, Penélope Cruz, Volver, Nominated
2008, Penélope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Won
2009, Penélope Cruz, Nine, Nominated
1988, Edward James Olmos, Stand and Deliver, Nominated
1991, Mercedes Ruehl, The Fisher King, Won
and last but not least, a quite often overlooked actor from Puerto Rico named Raul Julia
Anyway those are just a "few" names for you to chew on...
That's what someone like you said when an African American said the same thing......"Name me a latino who deserved a best actor or actress award". You are obviously a racist. Too bad.
Rita Moreno... for stage and screen!
It's been awhile but I really haven't seen anything that a latino/a has performed of late, that warrants an award. Don't go all idiot on us and make it racial.
Then you really aren't watching the "arts".
LOVE how this gets turned into a "pity me" party just like everything else lately. Get over yourself and quit turning EVERYTHING into a race issue.
That's because they're not worthy. Think about it.
There needs to be more than one museum if truth be told. I have been passed over for promotions at the job, a new job, a customer in line, have been offended by people assuming I cannot speak what white people consider American language, am uneducated, all this and more because I am not lily white. And, I am not an African American. I was born and raised in this country as well as my parents, can trace my heritage, am an educated person, but that means nothing to the commom White person whose great-great grandparents come from abroad. African Americans suffered greatly, and continue to face racism – however this group is not the only race that suffers from racist white people. I along with others have suffered being looked at as white, well let me tell you, I am not white – but to the black community I am. So now let's talk about the kettle and the pot.....and let's have a few more museums on the various races who have also suffered greatly at the hands of others who thought we weren't good enough because of our color.
Most African Americans can trace their ancestry back farther back in US history than can most white Americans. Most white Americans' ancestors came to this country after the early 19th century.
Complete bull!! i'd like to see where you got that 21st century white Supremacist garbage from. i bet it was from some neo-nazi book!! smh
they didn't like irish people either.
cnn threw my comment away after i typed all of that. annoying. it wasn't bad.
why are they throwing my comment away? couldn't you just turn whatever it is that you don't like blue or something and let us rephrase it without making us type everything over again?
it wasn't even bad.
We heard you. You're comment wasn't bad. Got it. Move on.
you should add the PBS documentary about william kunstler, Disturbing the Universe about things that are legal, but not good for our country. (then go to mitworld video and watch Isreal Lobby and US Foreign Policy. then think about what they are saying about things that are legal, but not good for the country).
and watch The Corporation about Citizens United. and more on planted judges (mostly in the documentaries about food and drugs and monsanto usually).
This is way overdue; Americans, especially WASPs who are the most guilty of racism, had hidden all this stuff. A slide show of images would have helped. There is also lots of racist memorabilia against Catholics, Irish, Latinos, native Americans, and others too; these are also hidden by the New England university WASP history departments.
they should add anything that refers to African-Americans to their collection. Talk about segregation of people.
That photo looks like the washroom at the GOP convention in Tampa.
That's right, blame Republicans for everything, that's typical Democrat. Never taking responsibility for their actions and blaming everyone else for their problems all the while having their hands-out taking from the hard working Republicans
Says the typical Republican while blaming the Democrat for everything
When people say talk about race it means agree with me or you are racists.
....ohhh the good ol days. Would a souvenir from this place be like a "Whites Only" fridge magnet?
LOL!!!! Awesome. Thanks for the laugh
The only black people mentioned are African-American. Did that mean that black people that did not come from Africa were exempt?
And then there is rap........ironic.
Such a strong argument! You do realize that before Big Corporate took over all the little record labels circa late '90s, there were DOZENS of HIP HOP artists who put out HUNDREDS of songs that attempted to cast the Black American community in a positive light and provide positive messages of resistance to poverty, drugs and oppression.
Thank you, exactly. And how convenient that the garbage put out by big record labels now give racist white people an excuse to further marginalize black people