A New Interpretation For 'Little Black Sambo' - NPR

Accessibility links

• Skip to main content
• Keyboard shortcuts for audio player

A New Interpretation for 'Little Black Sambo' Little Black Sambo has not gone out of print since it was first published in 1899. But the controversy around racist interpretations of "Sambo" has been so intense that the book disappeared from many bookshelves. A new version by Christopher Bing seeks to restore the story as a childhood favorite. A New Interpretation for 'Little Black Sambo'

Lifting a Children's Book Out of a Racist and Troubled History

December 23, 200312:00 AM ET Heard on All Things Considered

A New Interpretation for 'Little Black Sambo'

Listen Toggle more options

• Download
• Embed Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1567555/1568140" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Christopher Bing has re-illustrated Helen Bannerman's controversial tale, The Story of Little Black Sambo, and added touches such as a tiger-clawed cover and yellowed pages to create the illusion of an antique, weathered storybook. Christopher Bing/Handprint Books hide caption

Enlarge Image toggle caption Christopher Bing/Handprint Books

The original story of Little Black Sambo has never gone out of print since it was first published in 1899. But the controversy around racist interpretations of "Sambo" has been so intense that the book disappeared from many bookshelves.

The story, written by Scotswoman Helen Bannerman, tells of a little boy who wanders into the jungle and surrenders his clothing piece by piece to ferocious tigers. The tigers then turn on each other in a jealous rage. As the tigers chase each other, they run so fast they melt into butter. On his way home, Little Black Sambo's father finds the pool of butter, scoops it up into a pot and takes it home. Little Black Sambo's mother decides to use the butter to make a great pancake feast for dinner.

Sponsor Message

The book was one of illustrator Christopher Bing's childhood favorites. He's reinterpreted the book, accompanying the original text with a meticulous re-drawing of Little Black Sambo. NPR's Melissa Block, host of All Things Considered, talks about the book's troubled history with Bing and David Pilgrim, curator of the Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia in Big Rapids, Michigan.

Related NPR Stories

Children's Literature with Daniel Pinkwater

Fred Marcellino's Version of Sambo, 'The Story of Little Babaji'

Culture

Pop-Up Artist Meets Alice in Wonderland

Maurice Sendak's 'Nutcracker'

Talk of the Nation

Classic Literature for Children

Children's Book Recommendations

Culture

Alan Cheuse's Holiday Book Picks

Day to Day

Kids Books: Small Readers Mean Big Business

Children's Literature with Daniel Pinkwater

Kids Books: 'Henry Climbs a Mountain'

Morning Edition

Kids Books: 'The Nobel Book of Answers'

Day to Day

Slate's Books: Madonna's 'The English Roses'

More Books

Web Resources

A History of 'Little Black Sambo' at Handprint Books Bannerman's Original Illustrations at SterlingTimes, a Web Site about Eccentric British Culture Other Versions of the Book, Collected by the Australian Restaurant Chain, Pancake Parlour Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia

• Facebook
• Flipboard
• Email

Sponsor Message

Sponsor Message

Become an NPR sponsor