Buckwheat was a character in "The Little Rascals", a series of American short comedies starting in 1922 also title "Our Gang".
The series was about a group of children and was new and different in that it showed them behaving in a natural way, as opposed to the inauthentic acting many other child stars were doing then.
Shirley Temple was a wonderful performer, but most of her behavior in films was clearly her mimicking what she has been told to do by adults, and thus indicating and less natural or authentic than she would be in everyday life.
"Our Gang" is also credited for showing for the first time both genders and different races playing together.
While some say that this was a breakthrough for civil rights, there are many others who accuse the series of creating unflattering stereotypes of the African-American characters.
The role of Buckwheat was originated by Billy Thomas, and while he didn't appear in the series until 1934, he was one of the most well know of all of them.
Both Thomas and his costar Eugene "Porky" Lee had speech impediments and this was how "O'Tay" became their catchphrase.
If you're going to dress up as Buckwheat for Halloween or a costume party, there are a few simple guidelines.
This is one of the easiest costumes to put together, because as kids their clothing was pretty simple.
The first thing you'll need is a pair of overalls.
They don't need to be pristine and in fact could even have some paint or stains on them.
Children running around the neighborhood and playing with each other tend to be a little unkempt.
Then you'll need to find a striped shirt to wear underneath.
It should be horizontal stripes in black and white and can be a little dirty also, with buttons down the front.
It should be a jersey style shirt without a collar.
The final piece of costume is a pair of shoes that are too big.
This will not only help you to appear smaller and younger and more childlike, but there is an element of comedy in any ill-fitting article of clothing especially shoes.
When shoes are too big, the wearer must drag the heels along the floor as he/she walks not only making a specific galumphing sound, but also creating a physically comedic walk.
To complete the Buckwheat look, perhaps the most important thing is to get a good wig.
The hair on the children in the series was often combed up into a large afro for sections when they were supposed to be frightened.
They would also use techniques with the film negative to show them turning white out of fear.
While this is part of what many object to as feeding into the "pickaninny" stereotype, it was also a source of comedy for a series that counted on it.