Difference between revisions of "Little Black Sambo"
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The story was a children's favorite for many years, but then became subject to a censorship campaign in certain countries based on complaints about outdated racial imagery.<ref>'While this story has charmed generations, current publishers have decided to avoid any sense of perceived negative connotations by reissuing the ORIGINAL storybook with a new title: "The Story of Little Babaji.' [http://www.sambosrestaurant.com/indexsam.htm ] </ref> | The story was a children's favorite for many years, but then became subject to a censorship campaign in certain countries based on complaints about outdated racial imagery.<ref>'While this story has charmed generations, current publishers have decided to avoid any sense of perceived negative connotations by reissuing the ORIGINAL storybook with a new title: "The Story of Little Babaji.' [http://www.sambosrestaurant.com/indexsam.htm ] </ref> | ||
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| + | ==Racial stereotyping== | ||
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| + | {{main|stereotyping}} | ||
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| + | A 1941 book and record version of the story "epitomizes the worst of [[racial stereotyping]] -- Sambo's parents are now [[Mammy]] and [[Pappy]], for example, and they are caricatures of [[Aunt Jemima]] and [[Steppin' Fetchit]]." [http://www.tomfolio.com/bookdetailssu.asp?b=7986&m=81] | ||
==Restaurant Chain== | ==Restaurant Chain== | ||
| − | + | The controversy over the book led to the closing of a chain of over 1,000 Sambo's restaurants. The restaurants had been named after its founders, Sam Battistone and Newell Bohnett, but the association with the story led activists to campaign for a name change, and the chain declared bankruptcy by the end of the 1970s. The flagship location remains in business in Santa Barbara, California. | |
==Notes== | ==Notes== | ||
Revision as of 13:58, April 2, 2008
The Story of Little Black Sambo is a short children's book[1] by Helen Bannerman, a Scottish national. Helen Bannerman went on to write many similar books. The book was first published in 1899 and features the hero, Sambo, outwitting four hungry tigers by trading his colorful clothes and umbrella in return for his safety. The tigers then are defeated by their own vanity, as each bites the next one's tale forming a ring.
The story takes place in a mythical India and the tigers racing around the tree are turned into ghee, the Indian word for clarified butter, used to make pancakes for his family's supper.
The story was a children's favorite for many years, but then became subject to a censorship campaign in certain countries based on complaints about outdated racial imagery.[2]
Racial stereotyping
For a more detailed treatment, see stereotyping.
A 1941 book and record version of the story "epitomizes the worst of racial stereotyping -- Sambo's parents are now Mammy and Pappy, for example, and they are caricatures of Aunt Jemima and Steppin' Fetchit." [2]
Restaurant Chain
The controversy over the book led to the closing of a chain of over 1,000 Sambo's restaurants. The restaurants had been named after its founders, Sam Battistone and Newell Bohnett, but the association with the story led activists to campaign for a name change, and the chain declared bankruptcy by the end of the 1970s. The flagship location remains in business in Santa Barbara, California.