Mumbo Jumbo Lesson Plan

Why was Woodrow Wilson Jefferson not allowed into Buddy Jackson's cabaret?

Students should first establish some context and note that Buddy Jackson is African American and that his cabaret is located in Harlem, a Black enclave in New York City.

Students should draw directly from the text and note that the doorman did not want to let in Woodrow Wilson Jefferson because he was too dark, note because he was Black.

Students should be able to identify this form of discrimination being based on colorism. They should define colorism and discuss its impacts within communities of color. Moreover, they might also talk about what were called "brown paper bag tests" and how...