Mammy - Al Jolson (Jazz Singer performance)

The fantastic Al Jolson performing his signature tune 'Mammy' in the finale of the 1927 film 'The Jazz Singer' and yes, it's in blackface! Great performance.
Written by Joe Young/Sam M. Lewis/Walter Donaldson

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Al Jolson
• Mammy
• The Jazz Singer
• blackface

[anaheimdennis]

@anaheimdennis Al Jolson was a huge supporter of the black man and black rights at the time. He was also instrumental in getting them on stage. He has done much more for the black race or Africans then you will ever do in your lifetime. So before you start yelling racist remarks, you ought to learn a little about history and who these people were and what they did. They didn’t hurt the black man, they helped him.

[mca236]

this is creepy as shit

[pdow52]

LOL! Hilarious shit! It's a shame people are too brainwashed by the PC nonsense nowadays.

[CyberCosmo100]

@anaheimdennis His anti-racist activism still doesn’t justify or negate his denigration of black people in his blackface performances. It’s simply nonsensical to suggest these shows didn’t hurt black people.

[anaheimdennis]

@thekev506 I agree with most of what you say except the Jewish part. Their were many Jews in show business then. Who do you think ran the movie machine in Hollywood? Many of them Jews

[anaheimdennis]

@Sackobooks You just don't get it do you? And you did say "arguably" which means you said absolutely nothing. And you are wrong, it did not do more damage than good. That is how Africans were first introduced to the American public.

[thekev506]

@anaheimdennis it's worth noting also that Jolson was Jewish, and 'blacking up' like this was the only way a Jew could ever have a chance of being successful as an entertainer in the 1920's. It's very easy to blame the performers for an issue that the whole of society was responsible for

[TheMediocreStudios]

what the fuck is wrong with this guy???

[Sackobooks]

@anaheimdennis If you want to advance the cause of an oppressed minority, one of the best ways to do this is by humanizing them in the eyes of the public. Propagating stereotypes about that group does exactly the opposite of that. So singing in blackface in a movie arguably did more damage than any good caused by advocating for the civil rights of black people.

[LadyScorpio39]

@larrybndc

wow, thats sick! times sure have changed for the better.

[larrybndc]

@LadyScorpio39 Jolson was a vaudeville star and the use of blackface makeup was a continuation of the "blackface" minstrel shows of the 19th century. White performers would apply burnt cork on their faces and hands in order to sing in exaggerated dialect and outrageous dance moves. Wearing the makeup gave the performer license to "act the fool" thereby reinforcing racist stereotypes. In order for black performers to appear in white venues they also had to wear blackface over their own skin.