Carnival Scene Games 1910 Real Photo Postcard

The subject of this postcard is an "African Dodger" or "Coon Toss" game, a profoundly racist form of carnival entertainment that gained widespread popularity across American fairs and amusement parks from the late 19th century until the mid-20th century. These attractions typically involved throwing objects at targets depicting caricatured Black individuals, or in some instances, at live African American participants, profiting from and perpetuating harmful racial stereotypes.

Such games were a stark embodiment of the systemic racism prevalent during the Jim Crow era, normalizing the dehumanization of Black people in public spaces. They contributed significantly to a culture where anti-Black sentiment and discrimination were openly expressed and reinforced, with the setting and attire in the image consistent with the early 20th century, a period preceding significant challenges to these widespread prejudiced practices.