zwarte piet, black peter
he's just the aid of sinterklaas (like rudolf and the elfs for santa i guess). he's black because he sweeps chimneys and doesn't wash himself, i don't think most kids see him as a black/negro person. he's invented around 1850-1890, i guess black people where often the aids of white people... and yeah, if you look at him, he has something of those racistic comics of those days as well...
racist or not, at least his role changed: end of 19th century he took bad children with him in his bag and slapt them (so archenar... you used to black huh? child abuse?), since the 60ies he rather is an acrobat, funny guy, throws candies around