[Nubian queen]

Three part documentary series: Chronicles how whiteness (be it features or mannerisms) was perceived/depicted as the standard bearer in the media and finally how Black and Brown beauty has gone mainstream.

This is based on/ draws from a pictorial book by Ben Arunda.... (some long Nigerian name). It's well having a copy on your coffee table I tell you.

To see a brief description of this docu go to google and key

Black Becomes Beautiful + BBC 2

[realtime]

I always thought it was the other way around. I remember reading about a greek philosopher who wrote that his daughters longed to be as beautiful as Nubian princesses. Then that changed as black became not beautiful and I don't think that has changed

[OoooH]

>This is based on/ draws from a pictorial book by Ben
>Arunda.... (some long Nigerian name).
WHATS THE NAME OF THE BOOK AND OR AUTHOR?

[Nubian queen]

WHATS THE NAME OF THE BOOK AND OR AUTHOR?

Will pass by Borders find out and update you accordingly.

@realtime.

So what do you make of the ‘coveted pout’ leading to recent high demand in collagen lip injections and bum implants by our Caucasian "sisters"?

It's well worth reading the book / watching the programme, because one is then able to contrast what was, with, what is.

What was

· -Black people/black features depicted as caricatures RE The Hottentot woman who was caged and put on display because of her features, which were the norm in Southern Africa but perceived as alien by the Europeans.

· -Exceptionally talented black actors denied certain roles/limited to certain roles (maids) or deprived their due respect in their chosen field as entertainers and in certain cases some were left psychologically scarred to their detriment in the long term e.g. Dorothy Dandridge.

· Light skinned black models/actresses with caucasian features were more likely to get work than their darker counterparts. Diahan Carroll, Lena Horne amongst others. A throwback to Madame CJ Walker (FIRST EVER FEMALE SELF MADE MILLIONAIRE!) who made her buck on the back of cosmetics and most importantly hair straightening products. Her great-great granddaughter featured in this programme opines that Madame Walker’s intention was not to make black women ashamed of their kinky hair; instead she just cottoned onto the fact that black women had to conform to the beauty standards of the day. How black women applied their lipstick in such a manner as to reduce the fullness of their lips.


What is

-Black models/ singers/actresses fronting ad campaigns for large cosmetic companies.

-Improved movie roles, but we are yet to see a black couple fronting a major movie.

-The Emergence of Hip-Hop and it’s subsequent influence on almost every aspect of urban culture.

One fact has emerged and I have been left to ponder is that back then, black models and entertainers from the States found more acceptance and appreciation in Europe than in America. This is one thing that W.E.B. Du Bois and Malcolm X also experienced during their travels and in the case of W.E.B Du Bois, his stay. This somehow infers that Europe/Europeans were more enlightened? If so, why is it in Europe as a whole we don’t have a Powell or Condi?

[thierry]

Because Europeans in general are very hypocritical.
They like to look down on Americans and lecture them about human rights but try being black in Europe without going insane and you'll see who needs the moral tutorial.

After living in America for a while and having relatives in Europe, America is a vastly better place to be an immigrant in. Europeans like to think that they are more cultured and sensible but ....not true. Only their linguistic ability separates them from Americans.

America is not perfect. It is still hard for immigrants here but i would rather be here than in Europe that's for sure.

[Nubian queen]

I've just been talking to my collegue at work who is of the opinion that maybe the models were well received in Europe because they were perceived as exotic at that time. Also the fact that Europe lacked America's acrimonious race relations stemming from slavery and lynching.

In the UK, I think the watershed was heralded by Enoch Powell's infamous "River of Blood" speech (made after the mass migration from the Caribbean in the 50's). This created an atmosphere of fear, loathing and intolerance that has never completely gone away.

[heathcliff]

NQ - too lazy to search for it on google, when is it on again? I thought I saw somewhere that its the second part.... has the first part been played already?

[Nubian queen]

Yep, first part was on last week sunday, it covered abit of the 19th century (I'm guessing here cause some of that stuff may date back to the 16th Century) upto the early fifties, some of the interviewees included Singer/actress Diahan Carrol, Madame C J Walkers great great grand-daughter, Mary Wilson from the Supremes (sworn enemy of Diana Ross), Josephine Barker's godson (white bloke), a couple of black models who did well during those times. It also covered the story of the Hottentot Venus whose remains were returned to South Africa for burial sometime last year (or was it the year before that?).

According to the TV schedule, the next episode will cover the 60's the rise of Pan-Africanism in the US and its subsequent impact on how black people perceived themselves so brace yourself for a dose of The Black Panthers, Stokely Carmichael, Malcolm X and maybe Angela Davies. Black is beautiful should be the mantra of the day. :D

[timmys]

Interesting programme. Loved Angela Davies afro !

I was interested in your responses regarding Europe v merica for the black immigrant. I think here in the UK, there is a glass ceiling for black people. I look at the US with envy, Powell, Rice, Thomas can reach to the dizzy heights, and there are no comparisons in the UK.

I think for black people in Europe, it gets to a stage where you have to cross the pond to fulfil your professional ambitions. I work as a solicitor in the UK yet, career advancement is difficult here.

I intend to move to the states, at least the thought of a black boss is not alien to a lot of people in the northern states.
One of Britain's best Black authors, Caryl Phillips, left the UK for this specific reason. There are also a lot of black professionals leaving the UK for the US, i am not going to be left behind to face bigoted old attitudes in the workplace.