Little Black Sambo. Image from 'The Story of Little Black Sambo' by Helen Bannerman. See description for more information.

This image could have imperfections as it’s either historical or reportage.

Photograph from 1923 United States Edition of 'The Story of Little Black Sambo' by Helen Bannerman (1862-1946). This edition features the original illustration by the author. The story itself, about an Indian boy who has a run in with tigers and pancakes, has no racist overtones; but the original illustrations portray Sambo and his family as very dark incorporating what can be interpreted as racial caricatures and the name "Sambo" was used as a racial slur. This combination together with direct criticism, changing attitudes and sensitivities caused the book to fall out of favour in the United States and elsewhere from 1930's onwards. It should be noted that the racist undertones read in to the story 30 years after its creation were clearly unintended by the author. Another edition made for the American market illustrated by John R. Neill (1877-1943) published in 1908 features the typical racial caricatures of that time and was sold with "The Story of Topsy from Uncle Tom's Cabin", another controversial figure associated with racial stereotyping of African Americans, in the same volume. The story has since been re-illustrated and the character's names changed. Credit: Private Collection / Contraband Collection