How 'The Black Pack' Used Comedy to Combat Racism | KQED

"In the late '80s and early '90s, a group of five African American men - all famous comedians - created a body of work that shifted popular culture, altered the entertainment industry and impacted generations to come. He cites the works of vaudeville-era comedians Bert Williams and George Walker as early examples of the craft. He adds that pioneering African American playwright William Wells Brown and even famed abolitionist Frederick Douglass used comedy to critique white power structures."

"In the 20th century, Great points out, legendary comedians Moms Mabley, Redd Foxx and Dick Gregory (as well as famed essayist James Baldwin) all used satirical storytelling to combat oppression. But it was the work of iconic comedian and actor Richard Pryor that really broke the mold. The Black Pack also highlights the contributions of the four other members, prominently noting Eddie Murphy's rockstar persona, and ability to leverage Hollywood connections to center African Americans in ways not previously seen in blockbuster films."

"But it's the sections about Paul Mooney that stand out, mainly because his contributions are so often overlooked. Paul Mooney is credited for discovering Robin Williams and Sandra Bernhard, as well as writing for Chappelle's Show, where he also played the character ' Negrodamus. ' So why isn't Mooney more widely known? Great says it's because "his work was so outspoken.""

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, five African American comedians created work that shifted popular culture, altered the entertainment industry, and influenced later generations. Vaudeville-era performers Bert Williams and George Walker, playwright William Wells Brown, and abolitionist Frederick Douglass used comedy to critique white power structures. Twentieth-century figures such as Moms Mabley, Redd Foxx, Dick Gregory, and James Baldwin employed satirical storytelling against oppression. Richard Pryor broke the mold with candid, boundary-pushing comedy. Eddie Murphy, Keenen Ivory Wayans, Arsenio Hall, Robert Townsend, and Paul Mooney each contributed distinct creativity and influence; Mooney discovered Robin Williams and Sandra Bernhard and wrote for Chappelle's Show.

Read at Kqed