Blackface was theatrical makeup used by whites in the 19 thcentury to portray blacks. Whites used burnt corn or black shoe polish to darken their faces and exaggerate their lips, depicting blacks in demeaning and humiliating stereotypes like “happy go-luck” darky and “coon.” That was Blackface’s context. That was never Tyra’s.
Her shoot celebrated the beauty of brown skin, mixed heritage and diverse cultures. Tyra showed the world how unique, how intriguing, how diverse black skin really is. Blackface? I don’t think so.
Thanks Tyra.