During this black history month, there has been much discussion about the history of white people wearing blackface in America. We don't have to reach back very far: The Governor of Virginia is under fire for wearing black face in 1984, prompting the attorney general to admit his own blackface transgression in 1980. The Secretary of State in Florida resigned after a 2005 blackface photo surfaced. On The Sound of Ideas, we'll discuss the historically racist and dehumanizing intent of blackface, and why there are still so many who don't believe it's always offensive. A Pew survey just this week revealed 40 percent of white people believe blackface is OK as part of a Halloween costume.

Guests:
-Dr. Ronnie Dunn, Phd, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer & Associate Professor of Urban Studies, Cleveland State University

-State Rep. Stephanie Howse (D-Cleveland)

-Dr. Adrianne Crawford Fletcher, PhD, Assistant Dean of Diversity & Inclusion & Asst Professor, Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, Case Western Reserve University