Blackface ‘Black Peter’ popular among Dutch at Christmas

By Ashley Michelle Williams
The Grio 

In the Netherlands, everyone is quite aware of the Christmas character known as Black Pete. He’s a little African slave who helps out Santa Claus.

According to the Dutch tradition, Black Peter is responsible for carrying a book full of the names of naughty children, along with a rod and a sack to take the bad children away. He also scatters candy for children.

Since the character’s creation in the 1840s, the Dutch have defended it. They even dress up publicly in blackface, and claim that Black Pete is only dark from coming down the chimney — but he doesn’t wash clean.

Yet recently, Black Peter is causing more anger and controversy among the Dutch for the stereotypes associated with the Christmas character.

http://www.thegrio.com/news/black-peter-racist-dutch-xmas-tradition-or-not.php

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