You can find the reading that we started in class today: by clicking here.

While on the topic of Sambo, a few words on the history of the word, and where it came from:

The Story of Little Black Sambo, a children's book by Helen Bannerman, a Scot who lived for 30 years in Madras in southern India, was first published in London in 1899. (An American edition of the book was illustrated by Florence White Williams.) In the tale, an Indian boy named Sambo prevails over a group of hungry tigers. The little boy has to give his colorful new clothes, shoes, and umbrella to four tigers so they will not eat him. Sambo recovers the clothes when the jealous, conceited tigers chase each other around a tree until they are reduced to a pool of delicious melted butter. The story was a children's favorite for half a century, but then became controversial due to the use of the word sambo, a racial slur in some countries.[1].

Little Black Sambo, from the 1899 edition, illustrated by Helen Bannerman herself. — *Little Black Sambo, from the 1899 edition,* *illustrated by Helen Bannerman herself.*

The book has a controversial history. The original illustrations by Bannerman showed a caricatured Southern Indian or Tamil child. The story may have contributed to the use of the word "sambo" as a racial slur. The book's success led to many pirated, inexpensive, widely available versions that incorporated popular stereotypes of "black" people. In 1932 Langston Hughes criticized Little Black Sambo as a typical "pickaninny" storybook which was hurtful to black children, and gradually the book disappeared from lists of recommended stories for children.[2]

In 1942, Saalfield Publishing Company released a version of Little Black Sambo illustrated by Ethel Hays. [3] During the mid 20th century, however, some American editions of the story, including a 1950 audio version on Peter Pan Records, changed the title to the racially neutral Brave Little Sambo.

1. Helen Bannerman on the Train to Kodaikanal

2. David Pilgrim, "The Picaninny Caricature," Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia.

3. Mimi Kaplan Collection | University of Illinois Rare Book and Manuscript Library http://www.library.uiuc.edu/rbx/archon/?p=collections/findingaid&id=26&q=&rootcontentid=22993