Analyzing a political cartoon on Imperialism

When I see this picture, I notice that the continent itself is black, not green, or brown, but black. I then noticed that the footprint on the country is very strong and is white. I also noticed that it was a boot and not a foot.

The blackness of the continent symbolizes the race living there. It is also black because the white called it "The Dark Continent". The foot/boot print symbolizes the "white" settlers and what they have done to the continent. According to the political cartoon, the "white" people stamped on Africa, they made a mark. They made a mark that wont go away and has effected them greatly. The foot print is a boot which says that the foot print was made by white people because they are more likely to wear boots, unlike the native people in Africa. The dried land on the foot print could symbolize that the "white" have ruined their land, and have taken away the agriculture. This political cartoon makes a good point about what the "white" settlers have done to Africa.

I think it also has to do with the "White Man's Burden" and how the "white" people thought it was their duty to "help" the black people.