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The Daily OrangeLetter to the editor: Illustration racially offensive, more oversight needed
By Letter to the Editor
Posted: 2/23/09, 4:19 AM EST Section: Opinion
With all due respect, the cartoon on the back of the Feb. 19 edition of The Daily Orange is appalling. I will give The D.O. editing staff the benefit of the doubt and assume that the undeniable likeness of the figure in Christopher Holmes' cartoon to historical black caricatures - minstrel characters, black face and the like - is unintentional. It would seem that no editing staff in full knowledge of the implications of this sort of depiction would ever consciously publish something so inflammatory.
What is not clear to me is how this oversight took place.
The characters to which I am referring are part of a hyper-racist popular depiction of blacks during the 19th and early 20th centuries. These characters were meant to debase and dehumanize African Americans by over-exaggerating physical features to the point at which they were no longer recognizable as human. They appeared as stage characters, cartoon depictions (particularly in racist editorials in newspapers) and through a range of other media.
The character in Holmes' cartoon bears a disturbing resemblance to these "black face" depictions.
Again, I give you the benefit of the doubt. Considering the recent controversy over a New York Daily Post cartoon, one would think that The D.O. editorial staff would give special consideration to its cartoons. Alas, you are busy with many matters, I'm sure, so it is understandable that oversights occur. However, I would strongly urge you to look into the unconscious message behind this particular cartoon so that you may engage in a more rigorous and thoughtful critique of your future cartoons.
James Livengood
Senior History and African American Studies Major
What is not clear to me is how this oversight took place.
The characters to which I am referring are part of a hyper-racist popular depiction of blacks during the 19th and early 20th centuries. These characters were meant to debase and dehumanize African Americans by over-exaggerating physical features to the point at which they were no longer recognizable as human. They appeared as stage characters, cartoon depictions (particularly in racist editorials in newspapers) and through a range of other media.
The character in Holmes' cartoon bears a disturbing resemblance to these "black face" depictions.
Again, I give you the benefit of the doubt. Considering the recent controversy over a New York Daily Post cartoon, one would think that The D.O. editorial staff would give special consideration to its cartoons. Alas, you are busy with many matters, I'm sure, so it is understandable that oversights occur. However, I would strongly urge you to look into the unconscious message behind this particular cartoon so that you may engage in a more rigorous and thoughtful critique of your future cartoons.
James Livengood
Senior History and African American Studies Major
Viewing Comments 1 - 6 of 6
KJ
posted 2/23/09 @ 9:30 AM EST
One would also hope and expect that the Daily Orange would be more cautious of this mistake, considering the same one was made in Spring of 2002.
It's disappointing to me that the University paper is still making the same mistakes. (Continued…)
M
posted 2/23/09 @ 9:57 AM EST
It's also disappointing that there are so many people that get their panties in a knot over some stupid cartoon. It wasn't meant to be racist, time to give it up and get a job. (Continued…)
L
posted 2/23/09 @ 2:09 PM EST
Get over it, James. It was clearly not meant to be offensive, and if you view it as such, well, that's clearly your problem, work on that. You're a senior, concentrate on important problems, such as getting a job after college, because activism doesn't pay your bills. (Continued…)
Chip
posted 2/23/09 @ 5:19 PM EST
If whites were depicted with exaggerated features... you wouldn't even blink. Granted, black features were exaggerated in the past for demeaning reasons. (Continued…)
Orange Alum 99
posted 2/24/09 @ 12:17 AM EST
This offensive s*** goes back farther than 2002, in 1999 the SGA/SA President was depicted as a Sambo.
Christopher B. Holmes
posted 2/25/09 @ 8:22 PM EST
Illustrator clarifies non-racial intent, invites discussion.
As the illustrator of the sports cartoon published on the back of the February 19 edition of the Daily Orange, I feel the need to offer my apology to anyone who might have been hurt by its potentially racial connotation. (Continued…)
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