During the COVID-19 pandemic, I rediscovered my childhood love of jigsaw puzzles.

But wildly popular "Americana" jigsaw puzzles show a fantasy of white America in bygone days. All of the people are white with sparkling clean towns, animals and farms. This bothers me in light of the Black Lives Matter movement.

I ordered puzzles showing birds, mountains and colorful Italian villages on the sea.

Today I searched for African American jigsaw puzzles. Oddly, black and brown faces are blank ovals. The only puzzle showing a dark face was of a beautiful, young black woman. But her picture shows too much cleavage, turning her into a sexual object.

Finally found a puzzle of black jazz musicians. "Cool cats," their hats shade their faces. Reminds me of my father.

Dad was a professional jazz trumpet player in Detroit with black musicians in his band. He was always the only person on the beach wearing black. Cool cat.

Photos:

Jigsaw puzzle from a Jane Wooster Scott painting. I like the colorful intricacy of the puzzle. It's fun to put together.