Stepin Fetchit Postcard, circa 1931

File — Box: 4265.001, Folder: 32

Scope and Contents

The Stepin Fetchit Postcard depicts a scene from the movie The County Chairman, wherein Fetchit interacts with Will Rogers in an outdoor setting. The postcard features a reproduction of Fetchit's signature as well as an actual autograph by Fetchit.

Dates

Creation: circa 1931

Language of Materials

From the Collection:

Materials are in English.

Conditions Governing Access

Access to portions of this collection has been restricted by Archives and Special Collections in order to preserve the original materials. Contact University Libraries Special Collections at archives@ua.edu or 205.348.0500 for information on access to the restricted portions of this collection.

The rest of the collection is open for research. Researchers must register and agree to copyright and privacy laws before using this collection. Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations. Due to the nature of certain archival formats, including digital and audio-visual materials, access to certain materials may require additional advance notice.

Biographical / Historical

Stepin Fetchit was the most well-known character created by Black comedian and film star Lincoln Theodore Monroe Andrew Perry. Perry was born between 1892 and 1902 in Florida. A literate and intelligent man, Perry began playing the Vaudeville Circuit and became popular with his "Laziest Man in the World" character, a character that would later become known as Stephin Fetchit and fuel heated debate about the negative, stereotypical portrayal of African Americans in popular culture. Perry appeared in fifty-four films between 1925 and 1976. Perry became the first African American actor to become a millionaire, all the while being denounced by Civil Rights leaders. Despite the anger and protest his movie roles garnered during his career, the Hollywood chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People awarded him a Special Image Award in 1976 for helping to open doors for African Americans in the movie industry. In 1978, Perry was inducted into the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame. Perry died on November 19, 1985.