African dodger
African dodger, also known as Hit the Coon or Hit the Nigger Baby, was a carnival game played in the United States. In the game, an African American child would stick his head through a curtain, and attempt to dodge objects, such as eggs or baseballs, thrown at him by players.[1] Despite the obvious brutality of hitting someone in the head, it was a popular carnival game from the 1880s up to the 1960s.[2][3] The victims often suffered serious injuries.[4][5] Smaller kit-based versions of the game were also sold to be played at home.
A Popular Mechanics article from 1910 noted that African dodger had become "too old and commonplace" and was being replaced with dunk tanks in which African Americans would fall into a tank of water when a target was hit with a ball. The illustration accompanying the article shows a game labeled "Drop the Chocolate Drop" and is captioned "Amusing to All but the Victim".[1]
In popular culture[edit]
African dodger has been depicted in comic strips and cartoons, including Donald Duck and Popeye.[6]
Kurt Vonnegut describes the game in his 1973 novel Breakfast of Champions.
Norman Maclean remembers the game in his 1976 novel A River Runs Through It.
Billy Woods describes the brutality of the game in his 2015 song "African Dodger".
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ a b "Successor to the "African Dodger"". Popular Mechanics. Vol. 14, no. 5. Hearst Magazines. November 1910. p. 693. Retrieved July 4, 2020.
- ^ MacGuill, Dan (February 28, 2018). "FACT CHECK: Was a Violently Racist Carnival Game Once Popular in America?". Snopes. Retrieved July 4, 2020.
- ^ Blacks as Targets. Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia. June 11, 2014. Retrieved July 4, 2020 – via YouTube.
- ^ Hughes, Franklin (October 2012). "The African Dodger". Questions for the Museum. Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia. Retrieved July 4, 2020.
- ^ DeVega, Chauncey (June 12, 2015). "Black men are target practice: America's grotesque history of racist games". Salon.com. Retrieved July 4, 2020.
- ^ Dewey, Pamela Starr (January 10, 2016). "The African Dodger". AmeriPics. Retrieved July 4, 2020 – via WordPress.