To not want to buy a DVD of a blackface performer?

[pemberleypearl]

My mum (who is not online) has asked me to buy a DVD of Al Jolson for my Great Uncle, who is in his eighties. He loves the music and I have bought him old films on DVD before.

I've just looked him up though and he was famous for performing in blackface. He seems to have supported President Coolidge, who seems to have supported racial equality. So I feel a bit stuck.

I absolutely do not want to buy a product made by someone who holds and promotes racist views. However I also know that blackface has a mixed cultural history and maybe it is not (pardon the pun) black and white?

What should I do?

I think you should buy it - after all, it's not for you and no one will be expecting you to watch it! If your elderly uncle would enjoy it then it's not up to you to decide he can't.

It's a difficult one, I agree, but Al Jolson was a great supporter of equal rights for black people, which was not easy in those days.

Will it make your great uncle happy?

If so, yes.

It sounds like it's just old fashioned and bad taste, nothing malicious.

It's all about context: he was a strong equal rights campaigner for African Americans, and used 'black face' to poke fun at white supremacy and to introduce white people to black culture. He was instrumental in getting the first show on Broadway that didn't have one white person in it, and was written by a black playwright. He did a lot of good for the rights of those once would assume he was mocking :)

You should buy it. It is a piece of history and this particular performer, as said, furthered the cause of Black performers.

Oddly enough me and my DD was talking about 'song of the South' last night. I think that should still be available.

If we made the same stance against sexism, none of TV shows would be acceptable pre 1990.