There’s an interesting, and intellectual, debate over an article in the New York Times concerning the “Last of the Red Hot Mamas” Sophie Tucker. Tucker, who began her career in vaudeville, was a larger than life performer and arguably helped pave the way for the future of popular music. But like many entertainers of the early 20th Century, Tucker performed in blackface early in her career and was known as a “coon-shouter.”
Read Jody Rosen’s article on the release of Tucker’s earliest recordings on CD here; then check out Sady Doyle’s reaction piece, “Can a feminist hero do blackface?” in Salon. Finally read Rosen’s response in Slate. It’s an interesting debate handled with grace over a very touchy subject.
