high five

[Steve Kl.]

On Sat, 9 Oct 2004, James A. Landau wrote:

> When did the high five cross from African-American customs to being a white
> custom?   We have one data point, the 1968 movie _The Producers_.
>
> How did it cross from black to white culture?  I can think of three avenues

The TV avenue should be explored from a non-sports aspect too. I know I
heard it by 1974 (when I was 7) and I probably heard it sooner than that,
and undoubtedly it was picked up by my peers via tv (much like Dy-No-Mite!
and "Sit on It" were popularized by Jimmie Walker on Good Times and the
folks on Happy Days, respectively).

I don't know if it would be a sitcom (like Good Times) or maybe even
Morgan Freeman's "Easy Reader" character on "Electric Company", but I'm
betting by the early 70s there is evidence of it on television other than
sporting venues.

Just a thought.