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| Fascinating! | |
| Posted by: DistantDrumming 10:54 pm EST 02/14/21 | |
| In reply to: Reconstructing Ben Vereen's 1981 blackface performance at the Ronald Reagan inauguration - singleticket 03:19 pm EST 02/14/21 | |
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| I'd never heard of this incident before. For those of you were around then (I was born the year after the inauguration) do you have any memories of this and of the fallout Vereen experienced? I can't imagine how terrible that would have been for him. There are countless issues with social media, but one of its best qualities is the ability to change the narrative and to have your voice heard even if you aren't in a position of power. It seems like Vereen had a little recourse back then over ABC's decision to edit out the context of his performance. Of course, it's worth acknowledging, as Edgar Arceneaux does, that even if the full performance had been seen, it may have still been questionable in that setting. In front of that particular audience. |
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| re: Fascinating! | |
| Last Edit: singleticket 12:57 pm EST 02/15/21 | |
| Posted by: singleticket 12:53 pm EST 02/15/21 | |
| In reply to: Fascinating! - DistantDrumming 10:54 pm EST 02/14/21 | |
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| Of course, it's worth acknowledging, as Edgar Arceneaux does, that even if the full performance had been seen, it may have still been questionable in that setting. In front of that particular audience. Agreed. A critique of blackface was prevelant at that time so Vereen's performance in its second half wasn't completely without context. I don't remember the inauguration but I do remember seeing a 1977 TV movie "Minstrel Man" which I believe was both directed and written by white people. A lot of leftish and avant-garde theater of the '60's included critiques or what the largely white creators saw as critical usages of blackface. |
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