UNICEF Germany pulls blackface ad campaign

Adrienne George who publishes the Black Women in Africa blog posts a disturbing ad campaign by UNICEF Germany. Adrienne is from Washington D.C. and has been living in Brussels Belgium since July 2002. She initially posted regarding this subject on Tuesday, and by Thursday UNICEF had taken action. 

See the ad and a full translation here. 

The campaign uses mud to blackface white children who are supposed to represent uneducated Africans. The above ad translates "I'm waiting for my last day in school, the children in Africa still for their first one."

A number of concerned Europeans and bloggers worldwide wrote UNICEF to voice their disapproval of the ads.  According to a letter from a UNICEF press officer (click here for letter), "There are no plans to promote the ad further as it was explicitly developed for the G8 summit. Your remarks have caused us to drop it from our website." 

The letter practically charges those who were offended of misinterpreting the message.  There is no justification for the blackface, or for lumping all African children into one category.

Internet activism is alive and well.