Called “Black Memorabilia” and “Black Americana” at times, blackface characters and apparel have had a long run in America. Now, the African American Museum is confronting their legacy head-on.

Mateus Rosé was the epitome of cool; its curvy shape as much a style icon as the flares and shag-pile carpet of the era.

Today, gourmet tinned seafood is inescapable. In my Los Angeles neighborhood, it’s everywhere — not just in markets but by ...