In Shakespeare’s time, audiences threw food, mostly fruit and nuts, at actors who didn’t like their performance. Now, this practice has made a comeback, and Black entertainers like Glorilla and Cardi B have borne the brunt of it.
The "peanut gallery" used to refer to the cheapest seats in a theater, usually occupied by poor people. Some have hypothesized that the peanut connection is because nuts were an inexpensive snack, so audiences threw them at entertainers they didn’t like. Racism took things a step further.
In Jim Crow times, the "peanut gallery" became the nickname for the segregated sections, usually in the far back or upper balcony, where Black patrons were forced to sit. During minstrel shows, it wasn't uncommon for some to spit and throw peanut shells on stage.
Black artists and entertainers deserve respect on and off the stage. This anti-Black world is too comfortable disrespecting us.
This trend has no place in our culture. Knowing this history means we can understand that we should never be a part of any anti-Black shenanigans, and we can stand up for one another when we see this happening to our people.