Riverdale Christian Academy celebrates graduation with a blackface party mocking slavery

by Carmen Van Kerckhove

Wow. Now it’s not only college students playing with blackface, faculty and staff members are getting in on the act too. This Fresno, CA Christian school even played a game of “catch the runaway slave!” From Fresnobee.com:

Members of Fresno’s black community said they were stunned this week to see pictures of adults in blackface poking fun at slavery during a recent graduation celebration for Riverdale Christian Academy.

The photos, which were posted on the Internet shortly after the June 1 event, show staff and faculty of the small private Christian school dressed as slaves with captions describing activities at the party in Hanford.

“The slaves served lemonade — it was a riot,” read one caption beneath a photo of five women and a man at a lemonade stand. Each had dark face makeup and wore 19th century clothing.

“Someday we gonna be leavin’ when a workin’ day is done,” read another caption posted with a photo of three women holding gardening tools.

A third picture showed a white man in a Yankees jersey and top hat escorting another in blackface with the caption, “bringing home the runaway slave in the Senior skit.”

By now you know the drill with these blackface parties.

Step 1: Declare that you did not mean to offend anyone.

Step 2: Point to the fact that black people were at the party too, so obviously it wasn’t that racist!

Nice to see that Doug Spencer, the school’s principal, has been taking notes:

Spencer, who said he was sorry for the controversy, said his school, with a student body of 150, has “three or four” black students. One of those students attended the party. Spencer said that while he is willing to apologize to anyone offended by the skits, he has not apologized to the unnamed student.

“It was not offensive,” Spencer said. “And she hasn’t asked for an apology.”

Hat tip to Tate Hill at Urban Knowledge and Resist Racism

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What? What kind of game is catch the runaway negro? « A Moveable Feast on 11 Jun 2007 at 2:54 pm

[...] What? What kind of game is catch the runaway negro? Riverdale Christian Academy celebrates graduation with a blackface party mocking slavery [...]
Do the White Thing (again) « Dork Nation on 12 Jun 2007 at 2:04 am

[...] post hit the internets yseterday (see more here and here and here). I don’t know that there has been any blowback. I wonder if the parents complained? [...]
Pieces of a Whole » Blog Archive » Church does Blackface comedy on 12 Jun 2007 at 5:15 am

[...] tip to Racialicious. (warning: occasional bad [...]

Comments

Keke wrote:

It was not offensive????? What?!!!!!! I don’t understand how they can do something like this and not call it anything other than what it is: a racist attempt to trivialize a brutal and shameful part of American history.

Posted 11 Jun 2007 at 1:39 pm ¶
Karen wrote:

I am shocked silly. Really. Just gobsmacked. Where do these people come from!?!? And how do I make sure that none of my loved ones EVER crosses their paths???

Posted 11 Jun 2007 at 1:50 pm ¶
Wendi Muse wrote:

That is absolutely disgusting. Unfortunately, I feel like it would be hard for people to ever realize the gravity of their so-called “harmless” fun as they pretend to be slaves or immigrants unless they actually ever were or had family who were/are slaves or recent immigrants. If they and their families were rounded up at gunpoint and shipped away for an eternity to an unknown place only to be forced to work without pay and abused sexually, mentally, and physically on a daily basis…or maybe if they had to leave a country where there were limited economic or educational opportunities in order to come to the United States, only to be faced with similar (if not worse) instances of diversity, THEN they would get it.

Until then, I have little hope.

Posted 11 Jun 2007 at 2:05 pm ¶
Wendi Muse wrote:

adversity* NOT diversity…oops!

Posted 11 Jun 2007 at 2:05 pm ¶
Angel H. wrote:

Not.

Even.

Surprised.

Posted 11 Jun 2007 at 2:30 pm ¶
gandalf mantooth wrote:

Yeah, don’t be shocked. I dunno the history of this particular school, however, many of the small “Christian” schools were cobbled together in the wake of mandated school desgregation programs, another version of White flight. I can only imagine what their social studies classes are like when they meander into studying the 1960’s and ’70’s.

So, though this is not terribly shocking, it is troubling. They are informing a generation of kids. Forget this bit for a moment, my question is, what are they doing in the classroom?

Posted 11 Jun 2007 at 2:47 pm ¶
kjen wrote:

I don’t get it! I dont’ get it! I don’t get!
Why are these parties so popular?!?
Why, inspite of so much outcries, do people still want to have these sort of events?!?
I seriously want to know what the appeal is for white people to dress up like slaves, thugs, immigrants is?

Where is the ‘humor’ for them?

Posted 11 Jun 2007 at 3:12 pm ¶
dawnz wrote:

Shameful. Disgusting. Disrespectful.

Posted 11 Jun 2007 at 3:30 pm ¶
Rachel wrote:

If you check out my site or Alas. I put a link to a local TV station which has a brief interview with the principal. He said that the purpose of the skit was to “roast the graduates” and “poke a little fun at their mannerisms.”

I thought his comments were quite revelatory. He really did see it as a joke. So apparently having people impersonate slavery is some really funny joke.

I wonder how these Christian folks would feel if people had a crucifixion graduate party. Where people imitated the crucifixion as a way to make fun of the graduates.

Posted 11 Jun 2007 at 3:40 pm ¶
Carmen Van Kerckhove wrote:

Oh wow – thanks Rachel. (Clearly I’m a bit behind with my blog reading!)

I don’t understand the excuse though: what does slavery have to do with their “mannerisms”?

Posted 11 Jun 2007 at 3:58 pm ¶
dnA wrote:

This is why people clap when Oprah talks about having lots of white people work for her.

Posted 11 Jun 2007 at 4:05 pm ¶
FrancesM wrote:

Question: WWJD?
Answer: Not what Riverdale Christian Academy did!

~F

Posted 11 Jun 2007 at 4:52 pm ¶
erinberry wrote:

Appalling. How in the world can they say it’s not offensive?

Posted 11 Jun 2007 at 5:18 pm ¶
Carmen Van Kerckhove wrote:

FrancesM – LOL! Nice one.

Posted 11 Jun 2007 at 5:21 pm ¶
Rachel wrote:

I have no idea what he meant by the mannerisms statement. Did he mean they acted like “slaves”? I have no idea.

I also reccomend that people go over to Urban Education and add their two cents because his comment section has been overrun by racism apologists from the church and the local community.

Posted 11 Jun 2007 at 5:55 pm ¶
Blanky wrote:

“Well, we did a humorous re-enactment of the Holocaust, and a pretty Jewish-looking kid walked on by and didn’t say anything, so it’s all cool.”

Posted 11 Jun 2007 at 7:21 pm ¶
Oranguteena wrote:

This kind of thing will always be horrific, but it seems like there’s been enough of these that it’s not too surprising anymore. As a white person, I’d like to thank Riverdale Christian Academy for making us look obscenely ignorant, selfish, insensitive, and self-important . . . again. Way to go.

Posted 11 Jun 2007 at 8:30 pm ¶
Anxious Black Woman wrote:

Sigh. You know what. The folks who do these blackface parties and whatnot, they know what they’re doing. They want to have their joke, and they want to rile us up. We need to stop doing the “I’m so offended” thing and just force them to explain why this is so funny.

I’ve found that, sometimes, the best way to respond to racist jokes is to look bewildered at the joker(s) and say, “I don’t get it. Could you please explain to me why this is funny, because I just don’t get it.”

They inevitably have hell and the devil trying to “explain” their racist joke, and I guarantee you that white person always turns every shade of pink and purple before they’re done with the explanation because once they start having to explain why their actions are “funny,” there is no denying what complete big old gigantic racists they are. So, we need to stop doing these knee-jerk reactions to these kinds of blatantly bigoted actions and just start feigning ignorance, raise our eyebrows like we’re totally not getting what’s so funny, and put the onus on the bigots to explain their “jokes.” Once they do this, it becomes clear to everyone, especially when – after the joke is “explained” – you’re not laughing.

Posted 11 Jun 2007 at 8:31 pm ¶
Carmen Van Kerckhove wrote:

Anxious Black Woman: this tactic is GENIUS! If you don’t mind, I’m going to recommend this strategy to people in the future.

Posted 11 Jun 2007 at 8:35 pm ¶
Andrew wrote:

I dunno if people here have seen this or not, but it’s from last week.

http://www.wsoctv.com/news/13437044/detail.html

Posted 11 Jun 2007 at 8:41 pm ¶
Andrew wrote:

Hit the submit button too soon

You’ll notice in the story above that the same old sorry excuses are trotted out. But people, this is South Carolina. Need I say more?

Posted 11 Jun 2007 at 8:42 pm ¶
Andi wrote:

Anxious Black Woman’s (brilliant) suggestion reminds me of that Geico commercial where the caveman says, “Well, what if the tagline was So Easy A Psychiatrist Could Do It?”

“Because that wouldn’t make sense…”

And so on.

Posted 11 Jun 2007 at 11:29 pm ¶
Samira wrote:

I’m with #7 – I don’t get it! I just don’t get it.

You know, I’m not saying this *at all* to excuse the folks at Riverdale, but I truly am perplexed as to why someone might be motivated to do this. And here is all I can think of: these folks do not think they are racist. I think this is part of a general, nationwide sentiment that “racism is a thing of the past” and that it “really doesn’t exist anymore.” I really think that many people feel that way.

Let me tell you a quick story: I sometimes hear racist jokes from so-called “progressive” Brooklyn hipster who think of themselves as the pinnacle of everything anti-oppressive. They’re the types who think most Americans are dumb and they vehemently hate Bush, Republicans, etc. Fine. Go with it. Then after a couple of beers, the racist jokes come out.

Excuse me? Uh, not funny.

“Ah – but we’re NOT racist! We’re hipsters! We read progressive blogs and eat vegan food!”

I kind of feel like these hipsters are on the same continum as these Riverdale folks. What is comes down to is the FUNDAMENTAL idea that true racism is (a) violent and (b) far-removed from their daily lives.

I honestly do feel that a lot of people think that just because they crack jokes with a black co-worker and because they haven’t ever beat up or lynched a person of color yet, they aren’t racist.

And if you call them out on it – you’re holier than thou and humorless. I think certain people think they have a “ticket” to say these things because “it’s not who I really am” and they’ve filled their “progressive” quotient for the year, so therefore they’re allowed to say these things.

(And when I say “allowed,” I’m not talking about individual rights – I’m talking about what passes for “harmless” conversation.)

But ever notice that certain things are forbidden speech? Like someone said above, I’m sure these Riverdale idiots wouldn’t see the “humor” in something mocking their religion.

Ugh. Call me a humorless crank, but I’m SO tired of people hiding behind humor.

Posted 12 Jun 2007 at 1:26 am ¶
Lisa wrote:

I grew up being sent by my very right wing religious family to sectarian schools like this, and somehow amazingly survived the brainwashing. Not only is fundamentalist christianity a 95% white subculture, it is also very removed from normal societal norms and shifts. It tacks criticism as “PC liberalism and athieism being forced upon us!” “We’re not racist, but we don’t believe the races should mingle. We’re not sexist, but god says women are subordinate to men. We’re not homophobic, but that nasty kind of sex (really, any kind of non-reproductive sex) is a sin!” Morons.

That said, I never saw anything like these black face parties reported on here. I guess it is a new – and utterly bizarre! – phenomenon. What *are* people thinking?!

Posted 12 Jun 2007 at 5:16 am ¶
Jeffrey wrote:

While I agree that this is way over the line of acceptable behavior I am curious as to where people think the cut-off point is. Can we make Spanish Inquisition jokes? Holocaust jokes? Armenian Genocide jokes? White slavery jokes? What exactly makes it acceptable to crack jokes about one horrible event and what makes it unacceptable to make jokes about another?

Posted 12 Jun 2007 at 7:10 am ¶
daisy wrote:

I wonder if the fact that this happened in California will wake people up? It’s been too easy for folks to dismiss this as a South thing when clearly racism is not limited to the southern United States.

Posted 12 Jun 2007 at 8:57 am ¶
Kenny wrote:

Wish I could say I was surprised, but I’m not.

Posted 12 Jun 2007 at 10:19 am ¶
Karen wrote:

I’m really starting to believe that this is just some publicity stunt. Some type of conspiracy, because these parties are coming out of nowhere, and it’s the same thing.

I KNOW these people know better!

Posted 12 Jun 2007 at 3:54 pm ¶
Anxious Black Woman wrote:

Carmen, feel free to use my suggestions. Samira, your statement “a lot of people think that just because they … haven’t ever beat up or lynched a person of color yet, they aren’t racist” says it all, and I like how you’ve also included the “yet” part in that statement. In other words, no matter how progressive, we certainly wouldn’t put it past that white person to try and lynch a person of color, they haven’t done it YET. Or, am I reading way into what you wrote?
Also, to someone who posted on my blog as “Anu,” my apologies – I tried publishing your comment, but it just disappeared on me, and I can’t seem to retrieve it. I think you said you followed my blog from this one?

Posted 12 Jun 2007 at 5:35 pm ¶
Blanky wrote:

j:

wow.
Knee-jerk much?

Posted 12 Jun 2007 at 5:48 pm ¶
Carmen Van Kerckhove wrote:

I deleted j’s comment.

Posted 12 Jun 2007 at 6:31 pm ¶
Kai wrote:

Carmen, this latest blackface story from New Hampshire has an additional twist that will just slay you…

Posted 12 Jun 2007 at 6:40 pm ¶
Anu wrote:

Anxious Black Woman–
Its okay, I was just letting you know that I was happy to find another great blog!

Posted 12 Jun 2007 at 7:57 pm ¶
Lyonside wrote:

j: Um, whatever man, it’s not ALL white people by any means.

Your comment is just as racist/nonsensical as saying that because a black person does something offensive, all black people should to back to West Africa?

Posted 12 Jun 2007 at 10:10 pm ¶
Storme wrote:

not surprised at all. I know they got a kick out of doing it though. of course they knew it wasn’t ‘right’ but I think secretly…or not so secretly…some white miss the days of slavery, at least back then they wouldnt have to pretend so hard that they liked us.

anyway, Anxious Black Woman…your suggestion is priceless. if only i had the emotional fortitude to supress my rage and desire to slap the taste out a person’s mouth when they say something infuriatingly racist. i’ll have to try that one though.

i mean really…bigoted jokes are only really funny to bigots.

does anyone else find it interesting that they’re willing to apologize to anyone that was offended, but aren’t gonna apologize tot he ONE black student who was actually there? just because she ‘didnt ask for one’…what good is an after-the-fact-half-assed apology anyway?

Posted 13 Jun 2007 at 10:15 am ¶
Amy in NC wrote:

Hello good people of Fresno. We are going through a similar trauma in Gastonia, NC where a fundamentalist church had three white men dress in black face and pantomine black spritiuals. They were also dressed in 19th century clothing and said they were honoring black gospel and no offense was intended. They refused to apologize. Go to http://www.gastongazette.com. The story is titled is this ever ok. This is very disturbing. I wonder how many other churches of similar doctrines do this?

Posted 13 Jun 2007 at 5:59 pm ¶
Lyonside wrote:

Amy: thanks for the news on this incident. *sigh* what is it with blackface in churches?

The article had 2 things that stood out for me: First, the apology was really an apology, in that the pastor acknowledged that people really were offended (instead of the usual mealy-mouthed, generic “anyone who might be offended” reaction).

But second, the church organizers think that in order to appreciate “black” (i.e. Gospel or spiritual) music, the singers have to be black?? My God, if my Catholic parish did that for everything, we’d have to bring in a Methodist, Episcopalian, Baptist, Quaker, or Jewish singer every time we sang one of a hundred (maybe even thousand) hymns that were not written or composed by Catholics.

So evidently, there not being enough (any) black people in the congregation, they resort to blackface… and pantomime… so evidently, noone in the congregation can SING either.

The one and only time I’ve ever seen blackface was also in a Protestant church known for their Christmastime pageants. In previous years, the part of Melchior (yup, the traditionally “black” wise man) was played by an African-American baritone with an amazing voice. One year he wasn’t available… you all can guess the rest.

At the time I didn’t have the language to convey anything worthwhile to the pastor – I was visibly upset, though, and he apologized. If it happened today to an older smarter Lyon, the pastor would have been quaking in his loafers.

Posted 14 Jun 2007 at 9:34 am ¶
Joe Toxic wrote:

Just another case for justying school vouchers to support these types of private christian schools, yeah right. An earlier poster got it right, a version of white flight in response to desegration.
-
Riverdale, located in the heart of good conservative southern Fresno County, red county in a blue state. I believe also the home of Bubba, Fresno Mayor Alan Autry, another good ole GOP script reader.

Posted 01 Jul 2007 at 1:03 pm ¶