History 2132A/B Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: General Tom Thumb, Fiji Mermaid, Ned Buntline
3 Mar 2017
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Lecture 3 - from buffalo bill to coney island. White working class youth that were usually marginalized. Cake walk - over exaggerated movements, thought to be how they act. Cake walk emerged from slaves making fun of white owners. Mix up big words and use them incorrectly and say words oddly but slaves would do this mocking elites. After civil war southern states goes through reconstruction - southerners have to come to terms with treating african americans as equals. Segregation maintains social hierarchy in south without civil rights being broken. People believe these are the only types of black americans. These characters reinforce stereotypes and social hierarchy in america through the use of pop culture. Most characters were performed by white actors and some black actors. Know what people wanted and found ways to give it to them. Heard of a women who was 161 and george washington"s wet nurse. Traveling medicine show - saw that it could make money.
