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What was going on historically when the cartoon "Coal Black and the Sebben Dwarfs" was made?

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Final answer:

The cartoon "Coal Black and the Sebben Dwarfs" was produced in the early 1940s, during World War II and an era when racial stereotypes and minstrel shows were markedly present in entertainment. It does not directly relate to the Cold War era's 'duck and cover' advice but reflects the racial discrimination and the evolving role of African American performers in mainstream media.

Step-by-step explanation:

The cartoon "Coal Black and the Sebben Dwarfs" was created during a period marked by several significant historical events and societal attitudes. In the era when the cartoon was produced, the entertainment industry was influenced by minstrel shows and racial stereotypes. The cartoon carries the influence of minstrelsy, a form of entertainment prevalent in early 20th-century America involving white performers applying blackface and mocking African-American culture. This cartoon came out in the early 1940s under the Warner Bros. umbrella and is an example of the racial attitudes of its time, mirroring broader social contexts that included segregation and pervasive racial discrimination.

Furthermore, the cartoon was created during World War II, a time of high tension and significant patriotic messaging within the United States. It may reflect the zeitgeist of the times where media content was heavily imbued with nationalistic and wartime propaganda, but it does not directly involve the Cold War since it predates that era. The cartoon itself does not appear to engage with Cold War tensions or the advice prevalent in the 1950s regarding nuclear blasts and bomb shelters, as would be the case with the later advice to 'duck and cover'.

The creation of the cartoon coincides with an era where African American performers were beginning to break into mainstream entertainment, although they often faced typecasting and discriminatory practices, as highlighted by the successes of artists like Bert Williams. Moreover, during this time, there were efforts to suppress the cultural expressions of Black individuals in various contexts, as seen in the case of gumboot dancing by Black mine workers in South Africa, who had to utilize alternative forms of communication due to restrictions.

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