the book "little black sambo" originally depicted
dark-complected characters from india, not africa
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Black_Sambo

but it has been criticized as being racist
especially by Langston hughes, (in 1932)
and has been withdrawn or re-made due to this

there used to be a restaurant chain called Sambo's
started by Sam Battistone and Newell Bohnett
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sambo%27s

the local one changed its name to Cornucopia