User:Cosmic Pearl/African-American representation in Hollywood

Due to the racial discrimination in the 19th and early 20th centuries, Hollywood tended to avoid using African-American actors and actresses. In pursuit of avoiding the use of African American actors and actresses, Blackface became a popular form of entertainment in the 19th century. Blackface let Hollywood use different characters without actually having to employ anyone with a darker skin tone. Al Jolson, an actor and singer, made blackface popular with characters such as Amos 'n' Andy and Jakie Rabinowitz. In 1930, the craze of blackface died out because of its connotations with bigotry and racism.