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In the late 1800s & into the 1900s, racist images were common on everyday items such as ads, toys, and household figurines. #ANationsStory 
These images served a common purpose—to justify the mistreatment of African Americans and the logic of segregation. #ANationsStory
If white people accepted these stereotypes, it became that much easier to deny African Americans full rights of citizenship. #ANationsStory
Minstrel shows were musical theater that mocked African Americans, depicting them as fun-loving but inferior people. #ANationsStory
Blackface performances grew popular post-Civil War, in Northern & Midwestern cities, where interactions with African Americans were limited.
Faced with limited options, African American performers saw their chance for career advancement & financial security on the minstrel stage.
The pervasiveness of stereotypical images like these made the civil rights efforts of African Americans even more difficult. #ANationsStory
Learn more in our new blog, "Blackface: The Birth of an American Stereotype:" s.si.edu/2ih4txi #ANationsStory
