Blackface Didn't End In The 1980s
Virginia lawmakers have been embroiled in racial controversies after both the governor and the attorney general admitted to instances of dressing in blackface for parties in the 1980s.
But while blackface has become decidedly less accepted over time, it has persisted — in private spaces and in pop culture. Within the past few decades, celebrities have performed in blackface with few consequences.
Blackface was historically used to ridicule and mock black people and depict them as unintelligent and inferior. It created a lasting distorted image of black people, which further contributed to their mistreatment and segregation.