Peter Pappas

The Cruelty of the Darktown Comics White Supremacy’s Favorite Joke

Young Republican’s racist chat leaks are not a shock to history teachers. Currier and Ives’ “Darktown comics” sold by the tens of thousands and trained Americans to laugh at brutality. See the comics and connect the dots.
forgottenfiles.substack.com/p/the-cruelt... #racism #history

Truth social post from [Donald J. Trump / @realDonaldTrump] "The Wall Street Journal ran a typically untruthful story today by saying that Secretary of the Treasury, Scott Bessent, explained to me that firing Jerome "Too Late" Powell, the Worst Federal Reserve Chairman in History, would be bad for the Market. Nobody had to explain that to me. I know better than anybody what's good for the Market, and what's good for the U.S.A. If it weren't for me, the Market wouldn't be at Record Highs right now, it probably would have CRASHED! So, get your information CORRECT. People don't explain to me, l explain to them!"

JFK: “Ask not what your country can do for you.”
Trump: “Ask not to explain anything to me.”

#Trump

Caption Sunrise sizzle: Mt. Hood burns gold above Tilikum Crossing as Portland wakes to a warm dawn, the horizon already hinting at the furnace waiting in the afternoon. Alt text Warm predawn view from Southwest Portland: Mt. Hood’s shadowed peak stands against a fiery orange sky, layered hills fade toward the horizon, and the cable-stayed Tilikum Crossing glows with bridge lights above the Willamette River, framed by illuminated South Waterfront buildings—an early hint of the day’s coming heat.

Portland wakes to a warm dawn, the horizon already hinting at the furnace that awaits

Bar chart titled “Unemployment Rate of Recent Graduates showing lower unemployment rates for Philosophy and Art History Majors than Computer engineering or Computer Science

AI took the coding jobs. The philosophers are just asking why. #AI #EduSky

Composite header: on the left, a black-and-white photo of a toddler in a diaper standing hands-on-hips; on the right, a vintage poster that reads "Better Baby Contest -- Indiana State Fair, Aug. 31 to Sept. 7." The pairing evokes early-20th-century baby competitions linked to the eugenics movement.

"From 1910s 'Better Baby' fairs to MAGA's fertility crusade--discover how America's eugenic past still shapes today's immigration and family policies." forgottenfiles.substack.com/p/better-bab... #History #edusky #MAGA

Rewinding History with AI: A Timeline Technique that Teaches Perspective Teaching historical thinking with a million-year timeline, three clashing perspectives—and a little help from ChatGPT

Teaching historical thinking with a million-year timeline, three clashing perspectives—and a little help from ChatGPT
#edusky #history #chatgpt #AI peterpappas.com/2025/06/rewi...

Man in foreground makes peace symbol with his hand as green smoke celebration in Timber’s Army fills the background

Go Timbers

Photo of Toronto skyline from the water. Blazing sunset reflected in the water. Silhouette of city

Toronto sunset. #Nofilters #photography #sunsets

Dual-monitor desk setup showing a March Madness basketball game on one screen and a Portland Thorns soccer match on the other, with Apple devices neatly arranged—everything suggests productivity, but none is happening.

Somewhere in this setup is the illusion of productivity

A photograph capturing intersecting shadows of geometric patterns on a glass or reflective surface. The image features warm golden tones with crisp lines forming an abstract composition. Faint tree branches are also visible through the reflections, adding depth to the visual layering.

Good food, good friends.Looked up from my plate and found a masterpiece in the shadows. Cheers to the little moments. #SpontaneousArt #photography #abstract #art

Vox Vox is a general interest news site for the 21st century. Its mission: to help everyone understand our complicated world, so that we can all help shape it. In text, video and audio, our reporters explain politics, policy, world affairs, technology, culture, science, the climate crisis, money, health and everything else that matters. Our goal is to ensure that everyone, regardless of income or status, can access accurate information that empowers them.

Sometimes in my work with the TPS Teachers Network, I'm introduced to some real gems. This was a thing at the turn of the century- www.vox.com/.../the-19th.... And in case you thought it was minor-there are 177 matches for "bicycle face" in Chronicling America. h/t @pappas.bsky.social #sschat

Portland nighttime cityscape illuminated by a full moon, with layers of wispy clouds and airplane contrails stretching across the sky. Below, a vibrant city skyline glows with lights, including a brightly lit bridge and high-rise buildings. In the distance, a snow-capped Mt Hood’s peak is faintly visible against the dark horizon.

Mt Hood in the moonlight.

A Norman Rockwell illustration depicting a chain of people gossiping in a series of animated, expressive conversations. The sequence begins with a woman whispering into another woman's ear, and the message travels through multiple pairs of people, each reacting with increasing drama--some shocked, others laughing, some leaning in eagerly. The characters include men and women of various ages, dressed in mid-20th-century attire, with some talking on the telephone and others engaged in face-to-face conversations. The chain of gossip ultimately comes full circle, ending with a woman confronting another with an accusatory expression. The painting humorously captures the rapid spread of information (or misinformation) in a pre-digital world.

Norman Rockwell predicted Facebook groups, but the algorithm lived next door. #edusky #sschat #history

Will check it out. Thanks Bill

Great way for students to organize their thinking. I created a digital lesson template you might like https://peterpappas.com/2020/10/making-connections-virtual-organizer.html

A 1930s Music Defense League advertisement titled "Making Musical Mince Meat!" depicts a robot feeding musical instruments into a grinder labeled "Canned Music Theatres." The grinder churns out mechanical sound effects ("Bing! Bang! Biff!") while a crowd of theatergoers watches. The imagery symbolizes the replacement of live orchestras with prerecorded soundtracks, a central theme of the campaign.

In the 1930s, 'talkies' replaced live theater orchestras, leaving musicians out of work. A bold campaign to save live music waged a creative war against 'canned sound.' Their fight resonates today as AI disrupts creative industries. The Day the Music Died: forgottenfiles.substack.com/p/the-day-th...

A beige sweater draped over a chair, positioned in front of a tablet on a desk, resembling a person working. The setup humorously suggests an AI assistant at work

Meet my new AI assistant: gets it done without backtalk #AI

Can you help Peter Pappas support Jose Salvador? Kiva is a loan, not a donation. With Kiva you can lend as little as $25 and make a big change in someone's life.

My 145th loan on Kiva. Better than building walls. Will you join me in helping Jose Salvador in Agencia La Unión to pursue their dream? www.kiva.org/invitedby/pe...

A historical black-and-white photograph showing four young Black children standing in front of a tall concrete wall in Detroit, Michigan. The wall, built in August 1941, was constructed to separate Black neighborhoods from a white housing development. A quote by John Vachon reads: ‘Negro children standing in front of half mile concrete wall, Detroit, Michigan. This wall was built in August 1941, to separate the Negro section from a white housing development going up on the other side.’ The image is part of a graphic titled ‘Designing Inequality: How Government Policies Segregated America’s Cities.

My lesson exploring how systemic inequality has shaped communities, using redlining maps and the 1940 Census. A powerful way for students to connect history with personal narratives and understand the impact of policy on people's lives. #edusky #history peterpappas.com/2020/11/mapp...

Blush

A Currier & Ives Darktown print titled "A Darktown Lawn Party" depicts a grotesque caricature of a social gathering. A well-dressed Black couple stands at a table under a bright red umbrella, exaggerated features mocking their attempt at sophistication. In the background, chaos unfolds: a bull charges through smoke, a woman struggles with a crying child, and others are depicted in clumsy or absurd poses. The scene ridicules Black leisure and social aspiration, reinforcing racist stereotypes common in 19th-century visual culture.

A Currier & Ives Darktown print titled "A Darktown Lawn Party: A Bully Time" depicts a chaotic and grotesque scene. A bull charges through the lawn, trampling over a well-dressed Black woman and tearing apart a red umbrella. Black figures with exaggerated features react in absurd, panicked ways—one climbs a tree, another falls backward, and others flee in disarray. The scene mocks Black leisure and social aspirations, portraying them as clumsy and incompetent, reinforcing racist stereotypes of the 19th century.

You know Currier & Ives for their picturesque winter scenes. But have you heard of their Darktown Comics? These wildly popular prints mocked Black ambition and sold white supremacy. My latest post dives into "The Cruelty of the Darktown Comics." forgottenfiles.substack.com/p/the-cruelt...

A chaotic scene from a Currier & Ives Darktown print depicts a group of Black firefighters in exaggerated, grotesque caricature. The fire engine is spilling smoke as the firefighters fumble with their tasks: one sprays water ineffectively at a woman suspended on a pulley, while others carry babies or engage in slapstick mishaps. The exaggerated features and poses reinforce racist stereotypes, mocking the competence and humanity of Black individuals.

The Darktown Comics were 19th-century bestsellers, but their punchlines were anything but innocent. These prints mocked Black ambition to prop up white supremacy. Explore their chilling legacy in my latest post: "The Cruelty of the Darktown Comics" forgottenfiles.substack.com/p/the-cruelt...

A vintage cartoon from _Puck_ magazine, published on December 31, 1913. It depicts Uncle Sam sitting in a cozy parlor, being offered two bottles by the symbolic figure of the New Year, portrayed as a young boy wearing a "1914" sash. The bottles are labeled "Hope" and "Fear," inviting Uncle Sam to make a choice. The scene is warmly lit by a decorative hanging lamp, and Uncle Sam appears pensive, considering his options. A discarded top hat lies on the floor beside him.

A 1913 cartoon, a New Year's toast, and a reflection on resilience. What history's lessons can teach us about today. forgottenfiles.substack.com/p/historys-t...

The image depicts a traditional Nativity scene with the Virgin Mary holding the baby Jesus, accompanied by the Three Wise Men presenting their gifts. One of the Wise Men is speaking with a speech bubble that says: “Just to be perfectly clear. These are your Birthday AND your Christmas presents.”

Merry Christmas

A vintage 1950s advertisement for the Westinghouse Sun Lamp featuring the tagline "Give a June tan for Christmas." The ad shows a glamorous couple with glowing tans alongside a pale, envious couple. The lamp is marketed as a source of "Vitamin D" for achieving a healthy summer tan in winter. The ad highlights its affordability at $8.50 and the optional 35-cent clip-on holder. Smaller images showcase women using the lamp for beauty routines, with claims of safety and endorsement by the American Medical Association. A festive ribbon and holly design emphasize its appeal as a holiday gift

Running out of last-minute gift ideas? How about the perfect stocking stuffer: a sunburn in December! That durable 35-cent clip-on holder is perfect. Nothing says Merry Christmas like a surprise scorching. #vintage #advertising #Christmas

Mt Hood in the setting sun. City scape in foreground

Mt Hood sunset before the longest night of the year. #PDX #photography #sunset #mountains

A vintage 1954 science fiction magazine cover titled “If Worlds of Science Fiction.” The cover features a timeline showing the evolution of men and women from 1960 to 2060 AD. As the years progress, the women grow significantly taller and more glamorous, while the men shrink and appear scrawnier. By 2060 AD, a towering blonde woman in a white swimsuit stands next to a short, bespectacled man in black swim trunks, highlighting an exaggerated contrast.

In 2060, she’s still out of your league. The league just got taller.

A timely album on the Teaching with Primary Sources Teachers Network by @pappas.bsky.social - From Swill to Safe: The Fight for Clean Milk in Urban America - His teaching ideas aren't included in the public album, I'll post below. #sschat tpsteachersnetwork.org/single-group...