There's a ton of cartoons from the era clearly blackface. However, to your point, even recent photographs in color and black and white depict the tonal contras

There's a ton of cartoons from the era clearly blackface. However, to your point, even recent photographs in color and black and white depict the tonal contrast one could imagine inspiring the cartoon character in question: https://qph.fs.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-3e50441087256791f079ff8f59d472b1-c https://qph.fs.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-3e50441087256791f079ff... https://get.pxhere.com/photo/black-and-white-people-white-photography-boy-male-portrait-model-young-child-darkness-black-monochrome-baby-childhood-close-up-face-kids-nose-eyes-children-fun-eye-head-little-beauty-expression-organ-african-portraiture-monochrome-photography-dramatic-portrait-portrait-photography-609192.jpg https://get.pxhere.com/photo/black-and-white-people-white-ph... Until you get to the name Inki... tips their hand a bit.