Seeing the World in Black and White Friday, July 17, 2009 By
Wray Herbert When the Chrysler car company released its new
model Dodge Coronet in 1967, the theme of its ad campaign was
the “White Hat Special.” Some of the ads featured cartoon
cowboys riding around “keepin’ the prices low,” while others had
the ubiquitous “Dodge Girl” in her signature white Stetson,
chirping: “Only the good guys could put together a deal like
this.” These ads didn’t need any elaboration. Madison Avenue
knew the potential buyers had all been raised on film and TV
Westerns, and knew the symbolism of white hats. Roy Rogers, Gene
Autry, the Lone Ranger—cinematic heroes wore white hats, and bad
guys wore black. It was all very simple. Simple, but maybe not
all that original. The colors white and black have carried
layers of moral meaning since long before American’ infatuation
with cowboys and automobiles, and some scientists believe that
those associations may be automatic and universal and ancient.
Indeed, blackness and whiteness m