The Black Solider in World War II Era Cartoons

During the 1930s, the black male was often depicted as a sleepy Southern lay-about or a larger than life, jazz-fueled musician. Although both jazz and jive were beginning to infiltrate white American popular culture, their black roots were either reduced to comedy or portrayed as dangerous.

Scrub Me Mama with a Boogie Beat (1940) opens with a two minute sequence of various scenes featuring the black men of Lazytown sitting in a rocking chair to pick cotton, laying down on the job at the port, or otherwise being lazy. 

The landing of a light-skinned black woman and her introduction of a “boogie beat” causes the men to spring to life.

Of course, the men do not go about their work, but instead join the woman in her rendition of a folksy version of a jazz tune, playing instruments and dancing.

Clearly intended to send the message that black men were first and foremost listless, and second, motivated solely by frivolousness, particularly of jazz and dance (not to mention to arrival of a light-skinned woman), Scrub Me Mama represents a long tradition of vaudeville style depictions in cartoons. 

In contrast, the introduction of the black solider opened new space for the black male character, giving him both sexuality and agency. In previous cartoons, the rule was to avoid any reference to black sexuality or relationships. Scrub Me Mama features seemingly single black men and a lone, ineligible wash-woman. Although the introduction of the light-skinned woman is somewhat contradictory to this standard, there is always considerable distance between her and the others. Throughout the entire cartoon, she appears only with men the landing scene and when she is giving them instruction on how to wash. At other points, the animators make sure to draw in fences to divide the light and dark; one has a clear sense that there is an intended division between the two. 

Coal Black an de Sebben Dwarfs (1943) opens with a similar vaudeville theme, this time with an overt “Mammy” storyteller relating a black version of the classic fairytale Snow White. In this version, So White woes her zoot-suited suitor, Prince Chawmin’, with her boogie dance moves. The cartoon hits many of the traditional black stereotypes early on – the characterization of black men as untrustworthy gangsters, in particular. 

In the second half, So White meets the seven dwarfs in the forest – represented as black soldiers. Here, the characterization of black men has changed, although the scene must be read with the question of why when the black men are portrayed as dwarfs, it's acceptable for them to be soldiers.

In a following scene, the viewer sees an American flag flying over a military camp. The shot cuts to So White, who is cooking breakfast for soldiers at a stove. She informs us that she didn’t “join up” because she’s “good lookin’” but that she wants to help the war effort when she can.

The soldiers band together to take on the evil Queen.

After the poisonous apple renders So White unconscious, Prince Chawmin’ is called upon to administer the required kiss. Notably, this is one of the first scenes of black romance or relationship depicted in cartoon. When this kiss fails to wake So White from her slumber, one of the dwarf soldiers tries his luck. Sure enough, So White jumps to life, American flags shooting out of her hair. When asked what the trick was, the solider replies, “That is a military secret.” 

While the graphic representation of black men remains stylized throughout the cartoon, the degree to which traditional tropes defines the characters decreases. The soldiers represent good and are rewarded for their efforts to save the leading female character. In the end, the guy – notice the black man, even if far from reality, is given gender and sexuality – gets the girl.

Boogie Woogie Buggle Boy (1941) depicts a trumpet player of a Harlem jazz club who is drafted into the military as a bugle player.

Using the popular war-time tune, Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy, the cartoon is constructed as a musical. Black soldiers are shown marching and doing weapons drills; however, they are most commonly depicted doing other tasks such as cooking.

Although the black soldiers are depicted in uniform performing the typical duties of one would expect in a military camp, they are disproportionally burdened with secondary tasks. In spite of black men serving bravely during the war, they are represented as contributing to the war effort as musicians and cooks. Some of the old stereotypical depictions of laziness bleed through in this cartoon as well. In total, the uniform is used by animators to demonstrate that black men were serving their nation. However, the extent to which the representation drew upon racial constructs remains high.

In one respect, the growing popularity of jazz and its counterpart boogie woogie allowed the cartoonists to relate black culture and images to an otherwise less familiar audience. The song Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy was made popular by the Andrews Sisters – a trio of young, white women who recorded a series of patriotic hits. Seen as ambassadors of music for the US, these ladies also traveled the world giving concerts for servicemen. Here, the sisters are changed into three men of the company. 

Stemming from the Andrews Sisters’ setting for the song, one scene of the film shows a black soldier dancing with two women. Once one gets past the height difference, it is clear this is a different role for the black male than was allowed in Scrub Me Mama. The scene implies sexuality and agency on both sides – neither gender appears more dominant (in contrast to Coal Black). 

World War II and the service of black men (and women) allowed for a shift in cartoon depictions. The uniform allowed animators to forgo the most egregious stereotypes and endow their black characters with newfound agency and nascent sexuality. 

Bryan Straub