MetaFilter posts tagged with black

The Color of Sin - Why the Good Guys Wear White

filthy light thief — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:34:06 -0800

When the Chrysler car company released its new model Dodge Coronet in 1967, the theme of its ad campaign was the "White Hat Special," with some ads featuring the "Dodge Girl" in her signature white Stetson, saying that "Only the good guys could put together a deal like this." These ads didn't need any elaboration. Madison Avenue knew the potential buyers had all been raised on film and TV Westerns, and knew the symbolism of white hats. Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, the Lone Ranger — cinematic heroes wore white hats, and bad guys wore black. It was all very simple. The colors white and black have carried layers of moral meaning since long before American infatuation with cowboys and automobiles, and some scientists believe that those associations may be automatic and universal and ancient (abstract). Blackness and whiteness may be wired into our neurons, and tightly tangled up with notions of sin and virtue and cleanliness and dirt, according to research by doctoral student Gary D. Sherman and professor Gerald L. Clore, from the University of Virginia Psychology Department (print view). Clore and Sherman tested the concept of grounding of metaphors with a method similar to the the original studies performed by J. Ridley Stroop. The result showing something of the Stroop effect, but instead of displaying a delay in stating the name of colors because of the color of the text, there was a lag in identifying positive and negative words when colored black or white. And the amount of delay changed when the participants were primed to think about immorality.

First, they administered the color identification test with moral and immoral words. Then they asked the participants to hand-copy a very short first-person story about a workplace incident. Half the stories had ethical endings and half had unethical endings. Then they issued the color identification test again. For those who had little trouble with the color identification initially, exposure to the unethical story made it harder to identify word color when it didn't match the moral/immoral dimension of the word. "This shows you can bring this out in people," said Sherman. "We were struck how easily it could be moved around." But even more interesting was that for those who struggled more with the identification in the first test, priming immorality made these participants better at naming the color. This was a bit puzzling. Clore believes that for those already thinking about immorality, becoming even more attuned to it helped bring it to consciousness, where it could be controlled. "If you make something obvious, people appear to be able to regulate it," he said. "What we find with emotion is that if you make something really salient, people are better at making proper discrimination. By making it salient, people got rid of it."

A third study was performed, in which they asked people to rate several consumer products, some of which were cleaning products. Those who ranked cleaning products most highly turned out to be the individuals who had the hardest time identifying the colors when they didn't match the moral dimension of the words. This last test is associated with the Macbeth effect (abstract), where physical cleanliness is psychologically linked to concerns for moral purity. More fun with the Stroop test: Neuroscience for Kids, and the Stroop test and Mount Everest.

Black and White WTF

grumblebee — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 10:08:44 -0800

A blog of strange (found) B&W photography

"...A Fourth of July picnic, a Sunday Best church revival, an urban rock concert and a rural civil rights rally"

Miko — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 19:15:26 -0800

There was a historic music festival in the summer of 1969. But it's not the one that took place in Bethel, NY. The Harlem Cultural Festival ran from June 29 to August 24 that summer, presenting a concert every Sunday afternoon in Mount Morris Park (known today as Marcus Garvey Park). Three hundred thousand people turned out for the six free concerts, hearing acts like Nina Simone , Sly & the Family Stone (the only act to play both Woodstock and the "black Woodstock"), Stevie Wonder, Mahalia Jackson, The 5th Dimension, Moms Mabley and. Speakers included Jesse Jackson and "blue-eyed soul brother" Mayor John Lindsay. Security was courtesy of the Black Panthers, since the NYC police refused to provide it. Filmmaker Hal Tulchin recorded over 50 hours of concert footage, which has remained unreleased. Historic Films seems to hold the footage; it was supposed to be made into a movie to premiere at Sundance 2007, but its release seems to be continually delayed for reasons unclear. There are a couple of other concerts that also get called the "Black Woodstock," though they took place well after 1969 -- this is a good way to confound researchers in the oughts. They are: Zaire 74, and WattStax.

San Francisco's Black Exodus

lunit — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 07:57:55 -0800

San Francisco's Black Exodus. Since the last report in 1990, San Francisco’s Black population has dropped by 40 percent, faster than any other major city in the country. In an effort to reverse the loss, Mayor Gavin Newsom started the African American Out-Migration Task force in 2007. Last year saw the passage of Proposition G, endorsing plans for a major housing development in Hunter's Point (a historically black neighborhood in San Francisco), which though endorsed by the Mayor, was highly controversial. Also that year, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors Land Use Committee passed "housing reparations to stem African-American displacement" in the form of legislation that gives descendants of people displaced during the redevelopment of San Francisco's Western Addition and Hunters Point first priority for the city's affordable housing. Here's an excellent three part history of Bayview/Hunter's Point.

Up On The Roof

msalt — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 11:31:22 -0800

Hello, New York! New York, wake up you f*ckers! Free Music! Free Love! In 1968, two years before those other guys, Jefferson Airplane played their apocalyptic psychedelia from a NYC rooftop, before police shut them down. Filmed (staged?) by Jean-Luc Godard. The song is "The Ballad of You and Me and Pooneil" from "After Bathing at Baxter's" (1967). Amazingly, this was their single which reached #42 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #24 on the Cash Box Top 100. Filmed for Godard's project "One A.M." aka "One American Movie", which was abandoned and completed four years later by D.A. Pennebaker -- with additional "making of" footage -- as "One P.M." aka "One Parallel Movie." IMDB The film is a fascinating, exasperating mess, featuring Tom Hayden, Eldridge Cleaver (just before he fled the country), Amiri Baraka, Rip Torn, Carol Bellamy, LeRoi Jones and Godard himself. An "American Indian" picks up a tape recorder and spouts/mimics the radical speech on it, etc. The NYT reviewer wrote at the time: "I don't know why "One A.M." was abandoned. There has been talk of Godard's failure to understand the nature of the movement in America. But after looking at the quality of the film work in "One P.M." it seems to me that the reason could quite properly have been despair." One P.M. -- Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5 - Part 6 - Part 7 - Part 8 - Part 9 - Part 10

Black Acid Co-op

rare_g — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 17:46:52 -0800

Black Acid Co-op is a new installation by Justin Lowe and Jonah Freeman at the Deitch Projects annex on Wooster St. in NYC. It just opened and you can check out a video tour here. It is the third collaboration between the two artists on the same theme. The first version, "Hello Meth Lab in the Sun" was in Marfa, TX and the second incarnation, "Hello Meth Lab with a View" was at last year's Art Basel Miami.

Big fun with the Five Racketeers

flapjax at midnite — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 19:14:16 -0800

Behind them on the stage, a giant watermelon. In their hands, little tiny guitars, which they play like mosquitoes on speed. They scat, they dance, they get halfway through the alphabet. Their percussionist has the coolest little drum kit ever, but that doesn't stop him from playing the stage floor and the walls. Who are they? Why, The Five Racketeers, of course! And who's that lady who storms the stage for a little shimmy at the end of the clip? Well, that's Eunice Wilson, and she stuck around to do another number with the fellows. You want more, right? OK! Then let's head down to the All-Colored Vaudeville Show, for some serious oooold-school entertainment.

Portraits of luminaries of the arts - 1930s-'60s

madamjujujive — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 08:08:36 -0800

Extravagant Crowd - Carl Van Vechten’s Portraits of Women and Photos of African Americans. Previous post by ND¢: Creative Americans: Portraits by Carl Van Vechten 1932-1964. Also, public domain works from Wikimedia Commons. Van Vechten was an influential critic, novelist, photographer, and promoter of the arts. He was an early patron of the Harlem Renaissance - but sparked a huge controversy with his unfortunately titled novel, Nigger Heaven. Despite this controversy, his interest in and high regard for African American arts was not in dispute. The Index and Introduction to the Portraits of Women collection is quite good, but for those who may not want to wade through all 96 pages of his African American collection, here is a selection I particularly liked: Eartha Kitt, 1954 Billy Dee Williams, 1963 James Earl Jones, 1961 Dizzie Gillespie, 1955, 2 James Baldwin, 1955 Ralph Bunche, 1951 Harry Belafonte, 1954 Billie Holiday, 1949, another, and with Mister Pearl Bailey, 1946 Leontyne Price, 1951, and as Bess Ossie Davis, 1951 Joyce Bryant, 1953 Diahann Carroll, 1955

What is race in the Obama age?

shetterly — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 11:16:42 -0800

What is race in the Obama age? Some blacks say there are two black races, one poor and one rich. Does that mean Obama is from the rich black race? Some wonder if he's black enough or too black. Or do we have to choose among four options: "a) black or b) white or c) half-black and half-white or d) an American and who-gives-a-damn about his ethnicity"? Or is he multiracial? All I know for sure is he's the president.

The Dream is Alive

caddis — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 18:40:30 -0800

Happy Birthday Dr. King. Today is Martin Luther King Day. He was born 80 years ago, on January 15th, 1929. He was assassinated on April 4, 1968, at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. He was just thirty-nine years old. Tomorrow, more than four decades after Dr. King’s death, Barack Obama will take his oath of office to become the 44th president of the United States and the first African American president in US history. The Reverend Joseph Lowery, a civil rights icon who co-founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference with Dr, King, will deliver the benediction at the inauguration ceremony. Obama accepted the Democratic party nomination on the 45th anniversary of Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, arguably his most famous address. While Dr. King is primarily remembered as a civil rights leader, he also championed the cause of the poor and organized the Poor People"s Campaign to address issues of economic justice. Dr. King was also a fierce critic US foreign policy and the Vietnam War. Amy Goodman had a fantastic show today commemorating Dr. King. It is perhaps some stuff that we have heard before, but here now, some 40 odd years later when he predicted a black president, and it has come true, it takes on a bit more poignancy. (I am re-posting this for Huplescat who perhaps did not word the same stuff well.)

Because Firefox is just too darn white.

zardoz — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 16:48:21 -0800

Blackbird. Are you reading this page on Firefox, Opera, or IE? More importantly, are you black? Then you might want to check out Blackbird: "a web browser designed for the African-American community."

Ball ball ball, footie footie footie, ball ball ball, football!

Artw — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 16:14:26 -0800

The future of soccer in America is black, female and from the inner-city.

The Black President

Tom-B — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 14:20:41 -0800

A 1926 Brazilian sci-fi novel predicts a U.S. election determined by race and gender. O Presidente Negro envisions the 2228 U.S. presidential election. In that race, the white male incumbent, President Kerlog, finds himself running against Evelyn Astor, a white feminist, and James Roy Wilde, the cultivated and brilliant leader of the Black Association, "a man who is more than just a single man ... what we call a leader of the masses."

Rats! A New 21st Century Plague?

terranova — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 10:05:44 -0800

Scientists Discover 21st Century Plague? Bartonella bacteria, spread by the brown rat, Europe's largest and most common rodent, are considered emerging zoonotic pathogens because they have the potential to transmit human disease worldwide, including heart disease and nervous system infections. According to NIAID author David Morens, predicting widespread disease transmission remains dauntingly underdeveloped: "We know, however, that the mixture of determinants is becoming ever more complex, and out of this increased complexity comes increased opportunity for diseases to reach epidemic proportions quickly." Meanwhile, wild rats, notorious hosts of the Black Death bacteria Yersinia pestis remain active carriers of a variety of human-transmissible diseases. A 1995 study of parasite and disease loads in rats found on English farms reported that the rodents carried liver worm (23%), listeria (11%), cryptosporidium parva (64%), toxoplasma gondii (35%), and Q fever (34%).

389 years ago

desjardins — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 19:18:50 -0800

389 years ago...

Jimmy Carl Black, RIP

flapjax at midnite — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 05:44:39 -0800

Drummer and vocalist Jimmy Carl Black, "the Indian of the group", who appeared on more Mothers of Invention records than you could shake a stick at, has passed away. Here's Jimmy drumming with The Mothers of Invention live on French TV 1968, live on BBC TV 1968, singing with The Muffin Men, 2002, and on one of his last gigs, singing Capt. Beefheart's Dropout Boogie in June 2008, in his duo with mad banjo wizard Eugene Chadbourne which they called The Jack and Jim Show. There had been a benefit concert planned for November 9, in London, to help raise funds for the cancer operation in Germany that Jimmy Carl had recently had. I'd imagine this will go ahead as planned, but as a memorial concert. You London-based MeFiers might wanna check it out. Here's another Jimmy Carl Black discography, from a Captain Beefheart site. Fun quote from Jimmy Carl on that page: "... in 1975, I did a tour with Captain Beefheart.The difference between his music and Frank's was like night and day. Frank was avant garde, but Beefheart was the real thing, totally left-field. We rehearsed seven days a week, and maybe we'd play our instruments one hour in twelve. The rest of the time, we'd listen to him bullshit."

The Unfinished Swan

GuyZero — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 15:22:36 -0800

The Unfinished Swan is an unfinished video game set in an entirely black and white world. Players can splatter paint to help them find their way through an unusual garden. A video of the gameplay.

Year of Da Cat

bonefish — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 06:22:33 -0800

Year of Da Cat: Known as surfing's "Black Knight" or "The Angry Young Man of Surfing" (even "the consummate surf nazi") for his attitude, but more famously as "Da Cat" for his feline grace on a wave, Miki Dora defined the soul of surfing when it exploded into 60's popularity via Gidget (a historical moment in which he had no small part). Cashing in as the go-to stunt surfer for beach party movies even as he decried surfing's commercialization, Dora parlayed his notoriety in the surf media (including a highlight in The Endless Summer) to icon status, venerated even more since his death in 2002. When a single encounter with the legend warrants a web page or two and movies have been made about chasing his enigma and taking up his challenge, a Hollywood bio-pic would seem obvious and indeed, the most recent Dora biography has been optioned by Leonardo DiCaprio (though surf bloggers have other casting choices, of course). Through the 1970's and into the 90's, Dora roamed the world as an itinerant scam artist in search of perfect waves, leaving dietrus behind that is now for sale, including his most prized possessions, correspondence and a "forsaken son" who produces a web comic that reimagines Da Cat literally, as a furry! Now in surfer heaven and channeled from beyond the grave, Miki is still suffering the kooks. Miki on MySpace: 1, 2. YouTubluar: Classic footage of Da Cat doing his thing in this tribute video by The Supertones. Dora and others in perfect Rincon. Endless Summer's Bruce Brown talks with Dora at the 1st Duke in 1966. Clip from beach party movie For Those Who Think Young features Da Cat stunt surfing and getting air in the dance pit as an extra. My favorite: Dora charges the notorius Dogtown break circa 1974. Sublime trim! Dora explains himself in this mid-90's clip. Some of the last footage of Dora surfing ever shot. In Search of Da Cat trailer. Author David Rensin (All for a Few Perfect Waves: the Audacious Life and Legend of Rebel Surfer Miki Dora) discusses the man. Photos: Iconic images by legendary surf photographer LeRoy Grannis. Last pic taken of Miki Dora.

Black Confederates

unpoppy — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 16:44:55 -0800

Black Confederates are becoming the subject of a growing argument on what will be the legitimate history of black men in the confederate states. "Their bones rest in unhonored glory in Southern soil, shrouded by falsehoods, indifference and historians' censorship." Ervin L. Jordan, Jr. There are many questions this subject brings up in our concept of Civil War history. Were southern black men forced to fight ? Were images of black confederates contrived or genuine ? In some areas of the south, you can still find relatives of these soldiers who know their relative's stories. Scholars have avoided the difficult task of linking any blacks to the Southern war effort. One of the main reasons they choose not to attempt this is because they are afraid of confronting the great paradox that exists. Why would any slaves or free blacks work towards a Southern victory when this war was seen as one to sustain blacks' enslavement and degradation? "Records show that New York officers on patrol reported they were attacked near New Market, Virginia, by Confederate cavalry and a group of 700-armed blacks on December 22, 1861. The Northerners killed six of the blacks before retreating; officers later swore out affidavits that they were attacked by blacks and later complained: "If they fight with Negroes, why should we not fight with them too?" "

Shut Em Down?

cashman — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 20:11:07 -0800

'We done heard your voice, we saw your marches, we don't want to hear that any more.' Music artist Nas directs pointed criticism toward civil rights stalwart Jesse Jackson and his generation. But he's not alone. Kevin Powell is running for congress and shares the sentiment. At Nas' age, Jesse Jackson was marching in support of the Hawkins-Humphrey Bill for full employment. After saying "I got this", Nas has gotten onboard with a petition against a television channel to go along with his song. "It's a new day, it's a new voice," Nas says, citing Obama and members of the Hip Hop Community and the purported power of a new generation of folks to bring about positive change.

That's entertainment

miss lynnster — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 13:53:16 -0800

The Black and White Minstrel Show was a (very cheesy) British variety series that ran Saturday nights on the BBC for twenty years. Hard to believe that it was still on the air as late as 1978. A live show, "Memories of the Minstrels ," toured the UK to packed houses in 2004 and 2005. The show was performed white-faced and featured the stars, medley's and costumes from the original TV series. Previ ously. Older episode seen here.

Being Black in Utah

Brandon Blatcher — Sat, 31 May 2008 15:33:02 -0800

Being Black in Utah. The Washington Post chronicles some amusing stories (and some not) of racial interactions in the Beehive State. Yet despite their small numbers black people have been in Utah from the beginning.

I Feel Beneath The White There is a Burundi

wittgenstein — Tue, 20 May 2008 11:47:26 -0800

When Malcolm McLaren was managing Stuart Goddard (alias Adam Ant), there was one song that Adam says he listened to over and over -- Burundi Black. You can definitely hear the influence. My reference for this is a paperback copy of The Adam Ant Story which I am a bit embarassed to admit I was reading when I was a senior in high school.

Give me convenient bacon or give me death

Blazecock Pileon — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 01:36:21 -0800

Hi-fi spheres, bacon toasters, translated Pravda on demand, and other changes to come in 1975 A.D. [ via Bostworld ]

Jeremiah Wright in context.

Pater Aletheias — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 10:30:34 -0800

Jeremiah Wright in context. More videos available from Trinity UCC via YouTube. Those provide the fuller contexts of the sermons. But to really understand what's going on, you need to know about James Cone, who is an enormous influence on Dr. Wright. He was and is a pioneer of black liberation theology: A good place to start: Dialogue on Black Theology. An interview with James Cone. Cone on Bill Moyers' Journal. Another interview with Cone. Cone's faculty page at Union Theological Seminary, NY. From other scholars: An Investigation of Black Liberation Theology.--article by Wayne House, professor of Biblical Studies. A Black Theology of Liberation--lecture notes from Church Historian Terry Matthews.