it may or may not be racist
but it introduced racial stereotypes and the word Sambo was used by many as a racist insult.

with many of these books and images from the past - its not that they are particularly racist its that they have been used by racists to insult, mock and hurt.

at school kids used to shout "ooooookkkkkkayyyyy" at me because Lenny Henry had it as a catch phrase, it hurt and was said in order to take the piss out of my colour. Pretty sure Lenny Henry did not intend it to be a racist term but it was turned into one.

you could always explain to your kids that the book is good but some people have used the term Sambo to insult etc....
( sutit only the crumbliest, flakiest posts, Fri 28 Oct 2011, 20:25, 1 reply)

Agreed
It looks like this book was a victim of its own success. It was a successful story featuring a black character (albeit Indian rather than African) with a distinctive name, so that name got used in a derogatory manner, so became a derogatory term. Shame really.

Much like the terms spastic or mongoloid were used (originally clinically) for people with certain problems, they became derogatory, until they had to go for something so long and boring and generic that it can't be used like that (learning challenged), or else be condemned to changing terms every few years. Unless society can change.

I have never seen someone referred to publically as a Sambo (although I am sure it used to happen) - it is probably time passing and society has changed somewhat by now, and I am not one for name calling in any case (but that is another story) so my kids should be pretty safe from falling into bad habits.
(Skippyfillet, Sun 30 Oct 2011, 14:40, closed)