little black sambo

although politically incorrect in 2013, the story of little black sambo was my favorite as a child.  it may have been that i was attracted to the book (binding) because it was red or orange and 4" x 4" in size....perfect for a 5 year old to handle at the children's section of the public library.


i was reminded of this story after watching the film, Life of Pi.  perhaps it was the boy and the tiger that brought back the memory of that other tiger.

even as a 5 year old, i knew that the boy in the story was Indian, so i never understood how it later became such a racial issue in the U.S.
it is still a favorite story in Japan.

“No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.” —Long Walk to Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela