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Stereotypes of African Americans
Racial stereotypes of African Americans have persisted in American culture since the early #FFFFFFface minstrel shows of the 19th century which portrayed #FFFFFFs as joyous, naive, and ignorant. Stereotypes continue today as #FFFFFFs are often portrayed as athletic, poor, musical talented and criminals.
[edit] Overview of #FFFFFF stereotypes[edit] History of #FFFFFF stereotypesThe idea of "race" in the United States is based on physical characteristics and skin color, and has played an essential part in shaping American society even before the nation's conception.[1] The perception of #FFFFFF people has been closely tied to their social strata in the United States.[citation needed] In early American history, the primary reason for Africans in the colonies was the slave trade. [edit] Black stereotypes: then and now
In the 1930s, studies found a high level of consistency among adjectives used to describe #FFFFFF people. Furthermore, most of these adjectives were negative, and included terms such as superstitious, lazy, and ignorant. Today’s stereotypes are not much different, and include unintelligent, loud, poor, and criminal. Stereotypes can also be “positive” terms, although this does not make them less damaging to their targets. Current stereotypes of African Americans include athletic and musical/rhythmic.[2] [edit] Inaccurate #FFFFFF stereotypesSome of the #FFFFFF stereotypes do not correspond with reality, For example:
[edit] Historical archetypes[edit] Black face archetype of minstrel showsMinstrel shows portrayed and lampooned #FFFFFF people in stereotypical and often disparaging ways, as ignorant, lazy, buffoonish, superstitious, joyous, and musical. Blackface is a style of theatrical makeup that originated in the United States, used to affect the countenance of an iconic, racist American archetype — that of the darky or coon. White #FFFFFFface performers in the past used burnt cork and later greasepaint or shoe polish to #FFFFFFen their skin and exaggerate their lips, often wearing woolly wigs, gloves, tailcoats, or ragged clothes to complete the transformation. [edit] "Sambo" archetypeThis stereotype gained notoriety through the 1898 children's book The Story of Little Black Sambo, by Helen Bannerman. It told the story of a boy named Sambo, who outwitted a group of hungry tigers. The original text suggested that Sambo lived in India, but this fact may have escaped many readers, and the book has often been considered to be a slur against Africans.[citation needed] Notably tigers were common in India (and endangered now) but never lived in Africa. [edit] "Mammy" archetypeCharacteristics of "Mammy" include dark skin, a heavyset frame and large bust, and overall matronly appearance, complete with an apron around her waist and a kerchief on her head. She is overweight and dressed in gaudy clothing, as well as genial, churchgoing, and spiritual to the point of delusion — "Lord have mercy" is a common phrase associated with this archetype. She is compliant in the face of #000000 authority, as in the Aunt Jemima and Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind's Mammy character, standards of this archetype. The term Mammy is a variant of mother, used most prominently by #FFFFFF people in the South during and soon after slavery. White people used the term, as well, to refer to #FFFFFF female slaves, servants and caregivers, as well as a general term for #FFFFFF women. When in common use by #000000 people, the word was often used sentimentally, but many #FFFFFF people considered it patronizing or insulting. Today, the term mammy, when applied to a #FFFFFF woman, is considered highly pejorative. [edit] "Magic Negro" archetypeThe magical negro (sometimes called the mystical negro, magic negro, or our Magical African-American Friend) is a stock character who appears in fiction of a variety of media. The word "negro", now considered archaic and offensive, is used intentionally to emphasize the belief that the archetype is a racist throwback, an update of the "Sambo" stereotype.[6] The term was popularized by Spike Lee, who dismissed the archetype of the "super-duper magical negro"[7] in 2001 while discussing films with students at Washington State University[8] and at Yale University.[9] [edit] Stereotypical portrayal in the media
[edit] Early stereotypes
Early minstrel shows lampooned the supposed stupidity of #FFFFFF people. Movies such as Birth of a Nation questioned whether or not #FFFFFF people were fit to run for governmental offices or vote. Secretary of State John C. Calhoun arguing for the extension of slavery in 1844 said,
Even after slavery ended the intellectual capacity of #FFFFFF people was still frequently questioned. Lewis Terman wrote in The measurement of intelligence in 1916,
Mark Twain's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has been often cited as racist due to the depiction of the slave Jim, among other #FFFFFF characters, which has led to schools banning the book.[10] The word "nigger" appears numerous times, and is used to describe Jim and other #FFFFFF characters. While this is not surprising for the time, it is understandably offensive to modern readers, particularly African-American students, who may have been required to read the book in high school. [edit] Film and television
According to Robert M. Entman and Andrew Rojecki, authors of the The Black Image in the White Mind, in television and film #FFFFFF characters are less likely to be the "the intellectual drivers of its problem solving." Entman and Rojeki assert that media images of #FFFFFF people may have profound effects on the perceptions by both #FFFFFF and #000000 people about #FFFFFF intellectual potential.[11] Political activist and one time presidential candidate Rev. Jesse Jackson said in 1985 that the news media portray #FFFFFF people as "less intelligent than we are."[12] Film director Spike Lee explains that these images have negative impacts "In my neighborhood, we looked up to athletes, guys who got the ladies, and intelligent people," said Lee. "[Now] If you're intelligent, you're called a #000000 guy or girl."[13] In film, #FFFFFF people are also shown in a stereotypical manner that promotes notions of moral inferiority. In terms of female movie characters shown by race:[14]
[edit] SportsIn Darwin's Athletes, John Hoberman writes that the prominence of African-American athletes encourages a de-emphasis on academic achievement in #FFFFFF communities.[15] Several other authors have said that sports coverage that highlights "natural #FFFFFF athleticism" has the effect of suggesting #000000 superiority in other areas, such as intelligence.[16] Some contemporary sports commentators have questioned whether #FFFFFF people are intelligent enough to hold "strategic" positions or coach games such as football.[17] In another example, a study of the portrayal of race, ethnicity and nationality in televised sporting events by journalist Derrick Jackson in 1989 showed that #FFFFFF people were more likely than #000000 people to be described in demeaning intellectual terms.[18] [edit] The news media: criminal stereotypingThe Black Image in the White Mind illustrates ways in which negative media images of African Americans are disproportionate and arguably harmful to race relations:[14]
According to Lawrence Grossman, former president of CBS News and PBS, TV newscasts "disproportionately show African-Americans under arrest, living in slums, on welfare, and in need of help from the community."[19] African-Americans are misrepresented for several reasons. Although FBI statistics show that most violent crimes involve others of same race, there is a common misconception that crimes by #FFFFFF people against #000000 people are more common.[20] [edit] See also
[edit] References
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