Swing Time - Bojangles of Harlem

PLEASE Read this before crying "Racist!":

Yes, Fred Astaire is in blackface makeup but it is not meant to be racist at all. This is his tribute to Bill Robinson, also known as Bojangles, whose style influenced Fred Astaire. And Fred Astaire is in no way racist, much of his style of dancing and tap comes from African American influence, and in the movie 'Shall We Dance' he even went completely against the grain and had a dance scene with African Americans.

And if you still believe it to be racist and offensive, please understand that it was in no way intended to be racist and I'm sure if Astaire was alive today he would apologize for any ill-feeling.

Thank you.

Music by Jerome Kern and lyrics by Dorothy Fields.

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• swing
• time
• bojangles
• of
• harlem
• fred
• astaire
• tap
• dancing
• dance
• number
• routine
• Jerome
• Kern
• Dorothy
• Fields

[stevepollock1]

It doesn't matter if you were Black, Green, Yellow, Brown or White then or now. There never has been nor will there ever be anyone who will even come close to being as talented, gifted, brilliant and divine as Fred AStaire!

[KrazyKartoonKid]

I'm a black person and I love this stuff. I don't mind racism that much in classic movies. I just hate it in real life.

[saintmaster22]

@ficksuck1 speak with a proper language or get the flat out

[ficksuck1]

@stevepollock1

michael jackson beat him by miles retard.

[Benelcar]

The dancing artist who inspired Fred in this role was John William Sublett, or Bubbles of Buck and Bubbles. John often tutored Fred. Since the great Bill Robinson was a Hollywood staple, Fred decided to honor John with this number. He is the shadow dancer you see. Every serious student of dancing understands the lnfluences all of these artist have contributed to the art. Even a shy young Indiana boy named Michael. He was such a student that he named his pet simian "Bubbles!

[Jazzy9964]

Yes, Fred Astaire Truly admired Bill "bojangles" Robinson. and it was a totally different era back then.. As an African-American myself, I don't see anything wrong with honoring such a great dancer in the way they knew how back then. (just don't do it in today's society) :)

[Meik0o]

@honeegrrl You right, they were breathtaking too !

[tracybstrong]

Note that Astaire stages himself as unable to keep up with the shadow, ie with Robinson.

[honeegrrl]

@Meik0o And don't forget the Nicholas Brothers too.

[Meik0o]

@stevepollock1 Actually there was, don't forget Gene Kelly ! He was, at least, as talented as Fred Astaire :) Nobody can deny that.

[vibra64]

This is Astaires tribute to Bill Robinson. Bill Robinson was black. What did you expect Astaire to do? Wear green face???

[JeffGR4]

@theblackriverteam Terrible assumption, you made, that Fred Astaire — or anybody else — at that time (1930's) was probably racist. Astaire wasn't racist at all. And blackface shouldn't be necessarily offensive to blacks — in the sense that Japanese Kabuki whiteface shouldn't offend whites. In fact, blackface is still performed nowadays in the Netherlands, sans the ridicule. However, 19th-century America's degrading portrayal of blacks in minstrel shows, was profane and unconscionable.