The caricatures of black people that originated from minstrel shows in the 1830s-1890s became firmly embedded in the American imagination, such that audiences expected all black people to conform to certain stereotypical archetypes. The face of Mammy Two Shoes, a black maid character from Tom and Jerry cartoons, was deliberately hidden and only parts of her body were shown. A viewer once inquired about her face since it was never shown on screen, fueling their curiosity. Pickaninnies, a caricature of black children, were depicted with bulging eyes, unkempt hair, red lips and exaggeratedly large mouths stuffing huge slices of watermelon.

1. Faces In Black!!!

2. Originating in the White man's characterizations of plantation slaves and free blacks during the era of minstrel shows (1830-1890), the caricatures took such a firm hold on the American imagination that audiences expected any person with dark skin, no matter what their background, to conform to one or more of the archetypes.

3. Who is this? Should I be mad?

5. The face of Mammy Two Shoes was deliberately hidden. We usually saw only the lower half of her body; the black maid's chin appeared once, as an exception, in "Part Time Pal", and the film's last shot showed Mammy Two Shoes far in the distance, pursuing Tom without our being able to see her feature clearly. Also in this short, it is revealed that Mammy wears a bandana (typical of black female cartoon characters of the 30's and 40's). We can also see (for a brief second) the back of her head when she "peeks in on 'dem two cats", before getting her butt slapped with a frying pan and shovel by Tom and Butch in "A Mouse in the House".

6. "A young lady, after seeing a Tom and Jerry cartoon, inquired about the maid's face, which is never shown. 'It gave me the impression that the operators in the booth must be having some sort of party, since every time the maid came on the screen, the only thing I could see was her feet. My curiosity is killing me. Before I go stark, raving mad, please tell me what she looks like.'

7. PickaninnyPicaninnies have bulging eyes, unkempt hair, red lips and wide mouths into which they stuff huge slices of watermelon.

8. After doing some research on blackface I believe that these people white and black actors had to be strong. They faced scrutiny like no other. I still angry sometime when I see images of blackface but I have to remember that without these brave souls I wonder where TV and blacks would be. I guess I owe up a “Thank You” to those who came before…