The UK Black & White Minstrel Show ran on the publicly-funded BBC from 1957-1978 – with a regular (and incredibly popular) show running from 1958-1978. This dance troupe specialising in cabaret and variety was comprised of White men who wore black make-up and wigs – whilst mimicking slaves from US plantations. The White women , although mostly performing as themselves, occasionally “browned-up” as Native American women – and “yellowed-up” as Asian (predominantly “Chinese”) women. This involved their skin-tone, and eyebrows being altered – and the wearing of “bob” style wigs. Sometimes, false buck-teeth were inserted into the mouth. Their body language became coquettish and supposedly seductive – as Asian women were viewed as something akin to prostitutes (being always available for sexual activity). Chinese people (in relatively small numbers) had been in the UK for hundreds of years – but in 1919 the British government ethnically-cleansed 20,000 Chinese from the UK (I think around the Liverpool area) as part of a post-WWI expression of British (racist) nationalism. In 1946, the Labour government expelled around 2000 Chinese people from London – effectively ending the “Chinatown” that existed in the East of that city (Docklands). It was not until 1956 that the Tory government once again allowed British-Chinese to come to live in the UK from the British colony of Hong Kong (creating the neew “Chinatown” in Gerrard Street) – this is when my Chinese grandfather – Chan Tin Sang (1924-1993) – came to the UK. In the clip above, White men are dressed-up as Black men, dressed-up as Chinese men – being neither “Black” nor “Chinese”. The White woman is yellow-facing – being neither “Asian” nor “Chinese”. As no one would employ Chinese people – they had to create jobs. Washing dirty clothes was one of their first industries – but this soon transitioned into selling their ethnic food – which became very successful.
SANGHA KOMMUNE (SSR) 