What Do You Think of Judy Garland Do This?

[Yuuri 21,636]

Sure she might have been under contract to do this  but it's still disgusting either way you look at it.

[SolidSnake 2,804]

These things happened back then. The Jazz Singer is still widely considered one of the most important movies of all time (and the first talkie) despite having blackface in it. The Birth of a Nation is still considered an important film and a large epic despite being a KKK propaganda call. Its best not to judge people in the far past through todays eyes. You will usually be disappointed.

[ryanripley 86,575]

a white person being racist in 1938? never!

[shame 25,360]

the american media was hella racist back then, we been knew  

we shouldn't excuse this kind of behaviour no matter who they are, including John Wayne, Marlon Brando or David Bowie

[LibraOctober98 3,495]

I don't think Judy herself should necessarily be blamed, but it is indeed very problematic and horrible. 

[Tom Nook 37,807]

I think it shows a disgusting reminder of how society and the entertainment industry was like back then, and that unfortunately that will be a stain on the legacy of big legends 

[RAMROD 108,676]

She was a children back then, I don’t think she have a say what she can and cannot do. Besides back in that decade, everyone were thinking this is fine and normal. Even in cartoons show, from Disney to Looney Tunes to Tom and Jerry.

[Dark Anatomy 2,284]

She was literally beaten, drugged and forced to have an abortion on the set of The Wizard Of Oz.  I honeslty don't think she had any say in this. Still horrible though. 

[Retron 2,605]

Such media must be consumed with proper context. She was 16. Blackface was a common trope in 1938. The Civil Rights movement was yet to be a glimmer in anyone's eye. Racism saturated the media. Disney and Warner Brothers had incredibly racist cartoons.

We can freely judge this piece of media as terrible, but I don't think it's fair to let it reflect on the entire legacy of Judy Garland. She was a kid working in show biz in a society that was far from racially aware.

[rumours 45,521]

Blackface was not at all uncommon in the entertainment business back then. Here's another example from 1951:

Times were different back then, and blackface (while considered deplorable in the 21st century) permeates many aspects of HollyWood prior to the 1960s. It is quite unfortunate and upsetting nonetheless.

It makes me wonder what behavior will be considered offensive in the future that is quite commonplace now.

14 minutes ago, LibraOctober98 said:

I don't think Judy herself should necessarily be blamed, but it is indeed very problematic and horrible. 

This is a fair point. Hollywood Execs had significant control over the contents of a film and actors' actions. 

[Gypsy Life 118,907]

Wouldn't really put a blame on a 15 years old doing blackface in 1938

[FadMadonsterStan 578]

Racist stuff this disgusting from the past will never be changed, what we must do as a society is learn from this and never let things like this happen again in the future 

[DavidJP 735]

She was on a very strict contract with MGM so she didn't really have a say. She couldn't even eat much during the wizard of oz. So its better to blame the studio rather than her. 

[PunkTheFunk 124,389]

It was a different time is all I can say. Definitely not acceptable by 2018 standards, but it's understandable in a pre-civil rights context.