Opinion: Still Not Okay

by: Kaysia Harrington (12) 

Every Halloween pumpkins are carved, skeletons are hung, and someone does blackface. Blackface is the practice of making one’s skin black and emphasizing black features in order to portray a caricature of a black person. Blackface becomes significantly more common around Halloween season due to individuals dressing up as black celebrities. Halloween or not, the practice is, and never will be acceptable.

The controversy concerning blackface stems from its history. Blackface first appeared during the Jim Crow era; when art depicted African Americans with emphasized black features with intentions to mock said features. For decades now, black people have been antagonized by individuals making a mockery of their appearance, which explains the uproar about blackface being practiced to this day.

In the twentieth century, many actors, comedians, and other performers sported blackface that consisted of emphasized lips, significantly darker skin, and exaggerated noses. Blackface is not nearly as common in America as it used to be, due to the backlash often received. However, it is still popular in other parts of the world.

The practice is most often see, or brought up in conversation, in America at Halloween time. Every year individuals dress up as famous black people such as Obama, Beyonce, et cetera with intentions to celebrate them. However, one can dress up as these characters without changing their skin color-—so why do people still paint their skin?  It is very uncommon for people of color to lighten their skin for a Halloween costume because it is seen as unnecessary and rude.It it is not seen the same way with black skin because black skin has historically not been given the same respect.

The bottom line is that blackface has deep roots that are undeniable. Whether or not your skin exactly matches that of the person you are dressed as does not have a significant impact on how people view your costume, but it can have a significant impact on how a person  of color views him or herself.