Black face: An inappropriate Halloween costume

Last year a member of the UW-L Community wore black face as a Halloween costume.   Black students as well as students of other races were shocked, offended, and disgusted by this behavior.  I would like to communicate just why this act was offensive and ask the UW-L community to participate thoughtfully in their celebration of Halloween this year.  

For those who do not know, black face is characterized by an individual painting their face black, often using shoe polish, and imitating some aspect of Black culture stereotypes of how black people act, dress, or talk.  It was created in the early 1800s for the purpose of justifying slavery.  It did this by portraying black people as ignorant, childlike creatures who needed the guidance of white people.  It was effective in painting this picture of black people in the early 1800s, and continued to perpetuate the same dehumanizing notions past slavery's abolition, providing the justification for the social, economic, political, and physical oppression blacks were and are subjected to.

When black face is encountered today, it stirs great controversy.  In the 1990s, Whoopi Goldberg's then-boyfriend, Ted Danson, wore black face in jest to a comedy dinner.  He was criticized in national commentaries.  Two students at Northwestern University wore black face on Halloween in 2009 and were expelled from school.  Performers on an Australian variety show wore black face that same year, and were condemned internationally.  Black face remains a controversial practice, and evoking it can in no way be funny.  Nor can it be somehow removed from its racist and dehumanizing roots.

Furthermore, black face is generally perceived by black people as hateful.  Friends of mine were disgusted to find out that someone at their school had done that.  I told friends of mine who were not from here about the event, and they were shocked and disappointed.  Black face has no rightful place in today's society.  

I ask every member of the UW-L and greater La Crosse community to think carefully about what costume they will wear on Halloween.  It is never funny or acceptable to imitate stereotypical images of people of other races.  If you are not sure if your costume is racially controversial, try to find out more information before donning it and offending others.  Halloween is supposed to be a fun time.  Don't ruin it for others.