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FUNKY Turns 40: Black Character Revolution


  • Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture 515 Malcolm X Blvd New York, NY 10037 United States (map)

From 1900 to 1960, Hollywood’s greatest animators and biggest studios produced more than 600 cartoon shorts featuring black characters. These films reflected the racial stereotypes of the pre–Civil Rights Era, portraying blacks as less than human and as minstrel caricatures. It wasn’t until the late 1960s and early 1970s that Saturday morning television cartoons featured black animated characters in a positive and realistic manner. Funky Turns 40, from the Museum of Uncut Funk, explores these black animated characters and the impact they had on a generation of young folk. Find more info HERE

Later Event: February 22
BLING: A Planet Rock