Life, 1904-04-07 · page 38 of 41
Life — April 7, 1904 — page 38: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a **shoe advertisement**, not political satire. It promotes Regal brand shoes at $3.50—positioned as an affordable yet quality product ("a six-dollar shoe at wholesale price"). The advertisement features a **Pullman porter** (a Black railroad worker) as the central figure, shown examining shoes. The accompanying dialogue uses dialect: "Ten people in youah cah an' eight pair of Regals? Dat's nothin'. Everybody's 'got a Regal on' in dis hyar cah." The ad leverages the porter's credibility—claiming that wealthy Pullman car passengers (who "RIDE in Pullmans") actually "WALK in Regals," suggesting the shoes appeal across class lines. The porter's testimonial was meant to build consumer trust. **Modern context**: The dialect and caricature reflect period racism in advertising. While the ad positions affordability as democratic, it simultaneously uses a stereotyped Black worker to sell to white audiences, reflecting early 20th-century marketing conventions.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“REGAL AVE you hesitated to pay so little as $3,50 for a pair of shoes? If you would ask the Pullman car por=- ters, you would discover that a large proportion of those who RIDE in Pull- mans WALK in Regals. Don’t get the idea that be- G cause the Regal costs you (pS only $3.5°it’s ‘a $3.5°shoe.” a : It’s a “six-dollar shoe at “SQ the wholesale price.” Ae Men’s and Women’s Shoes, $3.50 Send for Style-Book. Mail Orders promptly filled. | 72 Regal Stores from San men’. NN Francisco to London aeS Ss Stores in the Metropolitan District of New York MEN’S STORES NEW YORK CITY dt St. 841 Broad St., opp. Centr of N. J. WOMEN’S STORES Pullman Porter: ‘Ten people in ‘ youah cah an’ eight pair of Regals? 498 Sixth Ave., cor, 21st St “Dat’s nothin’. Everybody’s ‘got a BROOKLYN 46 Filth Ave. Regal on’ in dis hyar cah.” comicbooks.com