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In 1935, Renato Micheli composed the song 'Faccetta Nera' (Pretty/little black face) to commemorate the invasion of Ethiopia. The lyrics recount the liberation of a young Ethiopian woman from slavery by a fascist Blackshirt. This march, very popular in Italy, fueled propaganda that portrayed the invasion of Ethiopia as a civilizing mission, concealing the brutalities of Italian colonization. In this picture, the song's title and a verse accompany a stereotypical image of an African woman to advertise a candy brand.
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Cite This Work
APA Style
Bonacini, L. (2025, September 02). Use of the Racist Song 'Faccetta Nera' in an Advertisement. World History Encyclopedia. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/20894/use-of-the-racist-song-faccetta-nera-in-an-adverti/
Chicago Style
Bonacini, Luciano. "Use of the Racist Song 'Faccetta Nera' in an Advertisement." World History Encyclopedia, September 02, 2025. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/20894/use-of-the-racist-song-faccetta-nera-in-an-adverti/.
MLA Style
Bonacini, Luciano. "Use of the Racist Song 'Faccetta Nera' in an Advertisement." World History Encyclopedia, 02 Sep 2025, https://www.worldhistory.org/image/20894/use-of-the-racist-song-faccetta-nera-in-an-adverti/.
