"little joe from kokomo" and "african billiards"

[Jonathon Green]

Mullins, Bill wrote:

>One of the many little things I have learned while going
>through newspapers of the last hundred and fifty years is
>how creative man can be in coming up with ways to insult.
>
>I don't mean in the least to imply that race relations in this
>country are perfect, but periodicals of even fifty years ago
>would print, with no sense of irony or shame at all, stuff that
>would get them into serious trouble today.
>
>
>
Indeed. But, having spent the past ten days immersed in the pulps of the
1910s-50s, esp. 1920s-40s, it is notable how money, or at least the
perceived market that would generate that money influences just what
could be said, even in those pre-PC days. Irish, Jews and Italians -
perhaps the core of the potential readership, at least in the cities -
all get off scot free. There are stereotypes (e.g. Irish coppers, Jewish
pawnbrokers, Italian restaurateurs) but no actual racism. More
surprisingly, African-Americans seem generally unassailed; again the
stereotype - 'sexy', 'exotic' Harlem - but nothing reflects the
contemporary reality. (That said, Black Americans hardly appear in the
first place). Africa itself, of course, is very different: cannibalism
wherever you look. Only the immigrant Chinese, on whom it is definitely
open season, are allowed wholesale vilification. Definitely unlike the
UK, where the strain of antisemitism, let alone the assumed superiority
of anyone white, not only appears in any example of popular literature
(excepting the shining example of P.G. Wodehouse) but positively revels
in its viciousness.

JG