Non politically correct ancestors

[stonechat]

I am sure many of our ancestors have done things now deemed to be beyond the pale or totally politically incorrect.

In my case my grandfather sang with so called 'N-word Minstrel' groups.
These had names such as the Snowdrops.

The last bastion of this was the Black and White Minstrel show

Has anyone else ancestor done things that embarrass you?

Bob

[XPhile2868]

I don't think that we can judge our ancestors by today's morals and ethics. We should judge them by their morals and ethics (although I'm not excusing past generations for any discriminatory actions they may have took).


I don't really know of any major non-PC ancestros, although my maternal grandparents had a dog called after the n-word as it was black.

[ozlady]

I remember Mum buying a N-word brown coat back in the 50's. It was quite an acceptable description then.

[Kevwood]

I always wonder about this kind of thing, as ozlady says even 30/40 years ago it was acceptable, i have found while looking at censuses;

sarah head
Mary partner

and thought , ok is that business partner or partner, in 1881 i would imagine it would take a hell of a lot of guts to declare yourself as gay on a census??

2001 census no-one would even think twice about it.

Kev.

[ozlady]

When did the "Black and White Minstrel Show" finish? I'm sure it was on the Beeb until well into the 60's.

[kizmiaz]

The Black and White Minstrel show actually hung on in there despite opposition until, believe it or not, 1st July 1978. (http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/B/htmlB/blackandwhim/blackandwhim.htm)

[ozlady]

You're kidding!!!!

[PassionPlay]

My brand new secondary school uniform in 1969 included N-word brown knickers - not a pretty sight either, they were of the 'big pants' variety

Steph.

[anderle]

With regard to the minstrel shows, funny how things cahnge, isn't it?  In the US we are about to see the premier of a show called Black/White where a black family and a white family are transformed by make-up to the opposite race and actually live their lives that way for awhile.  I can't decide whether this is cutting edge stuff that will show racism for what it is, or just embarrassingly ridiculous.

With regard to embarassing ancestors, this is perhaps a bit off topic, but one of my English ancestors was apparently "hanged at the yardarm" for some crime. (Not sure I want to know what it was.) My dad used to say that it scared the rest of the family line straight!