The traveling Hateful Things Exhibit from the Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia at Ferris State University opened up at the Pick Museum of Anthropology on Monday and will be open until April 9.
The exhibit displays some of the most hateful and racist items imaginable aimed at Black people in America’s history. Hateful Things is an eye-opening experience that reminds its visitors that most of these items weren’t from that long ago in American history, and society as a whole has the power to make our country a better and more accepting place.
The exhibit opens up tackling hateful advertising that ranges from the 1800s to the 1900s. Many of the companies marketed their products using stereotypical images and anti-Black racial slurs,including mainstream products like Aunt Jemima, Cream of Wheat and Uncle Ben’s who have since updated their branding. Other brands like Darkie Toothpaste and C n Chicken Inn took damaging stereotypes to a national and vile level.