Evolution Of Racist Portrayals Of Film And Television

The 1987 film documentary Ethnic Notions directed by Marlon Riggs, identifies the evolution of African American cultural depictions through ethnic stereotypes and caricatures in American culture. I feel Ethnic Notions exposes the roots of false generalization from the beginning and presents a series of classifications for racial depictions that still are noticeable in today's society. These racial depictions identified with in this film begin in the mid 1800's and continue thought to the 1960's. I now after viewing Ethnic notions agree that there are generalizations and depictions that are exaggerated in American popular culture and entertainment.

Shameless is a Golden-Globe nominated show with a white dominated cast. One of the siblings on the show is black, but is identified as a White male contrary to the character’s skin tone. “When it comes to representations of Blacks on television, the 1980s can be seen as a decade of elevated inclusion both in terms of the quantity and quality of roles -- which remains the norm today. (Tukachinsky, Mastro, & Yarchi, 2015). Over the years, we will see more shows gearing their audiences to the black community. Producers add in a few social issues to reel viewers in, but the fact remains the same that a prime time heavy hitting shows, will most likely have less than 20% of their cast of African descent. In consonance with researchers, blacks currently constitute between 14-17 percent of the prime-time population. (Tukachinsky, Mastro, & Yarchi, 2015). The lack of representation in the media can lead to some interpreting that the Caucasian race is the superior race, and in retrospect, can influence the attitudes and beliefs of viewers. Prior research has shown that exposure to counter stereotypic exemplars in the media can have a positive effect on inter-group relations. (Scharrer, & Ramasubramanian, 2015) In order to reduce the misrepresentation from taking over the media, we must depict a positive image on the lives of minorities and portray them as successful, thriving human beings. By

The films represent the community and sometimes can alter how society think they should feel. Ramsey discusses “guiltsploitation”, which addresses the guilt associated with not following a certain cultural norm (Ramsey,311). The message of many films suggests that to prove that one is proud of their Black heritage they must live in ghettos, do crack and rap (Ramsey, 311). This representation creates a different message to the past and present youth—can I climb the corporate ladder and still be loyal to my race (Ramsey, 311)? Films have the power to create an image in society that makes it difficult for the African-American culture to feel comfortable going against this social norm. This article suggests that many African-Americans may avoid education, or a different social class because of this inner

Media has become the key source of entertainment in United States especially on the sector of movie production. Most United States movies have some type of involvement with racial stereotype on specific ethnic groups. United States movies usually portray the negative side of African-Americans in all their movies. This is a huge problem to the society of United States especially black Americans. The presentation of the negative side of African-Americans in the media effects how they perceive themselves in the society and it also changes how other races perceive themselves. Many people may ignore the issue but it is menace because it is more related with racism. Many Americans and other races have lost hope in Americans because of the picture that is created in their minds by the media. Media argue that racial stereotype has no effect and it is one way of boosting movie and other entertainment industries. However, racial stereotype on blacks in United States is of no good at all. Racial stereotype in the media can be discouraged by the government of United States by instituting a law that would prohibit the production of movies and other entertainment materials that portrays the negative side of a specific ethnic group.

Film and television, for example, have been notorious in disseminating images of racial minorities which establish for audiences what people from these groups look like, how they behave, and “who they are.” The power of the

Since the arrival of Africans in America the image in America for the African Americans both male and female have been portrayed in a negative light. Although African Americans today have risen up to some of the highest positions in America such as entrepreneurs, CEOs, and even as high up as the President of the United States of America being an African American man. Though there are many other top job positions being held by African Americans both male and female that prove that the African Americans have made their mark in America, the race of African Americans as a whole still has a long way to go. However, though both African American men and women are both viewed in a negative light the African American man is the one who is stereotyped most of all. A prime example of how the image of the African American man is still portrayed in a negative light is in the film world. The film world has only contributed to help produce the negative image of African American men and the roles they play inside of films. Films portray the African American men being the aggressors, delinquents, criminals and more, since some of the older films in America. Then with the African American male stereotypes still being relevant in contemporary films today. The film world has made these stereotypes come to life and be seen by the world on screen. In this paper I will discuss the birth of the black male stereotypes from early films to current films today and how the image of the black male and

Over the years, racial depiction and television have not changed as substantially as one would hope. Although there are several sitcoms on the air currently utilizing race as a large portion of the plot, this is done is a less than desirable way, most often exaggerating stereotypes of a specific race/ culture. Discussion of race and these stereotypes placed on race continue to be a topic of discussion within the media. While researching racial depictions in pop culture, I reviewed an interesting article, The Most Racially Stereotyped Characters on TV Right Now. This article written by Victoria McNally in 2012 identifies several shows currently being aired and the character to which she identifies as being racially profiled. McNally reports that in 2012, there continues to be a large number of television programs that continue to bring forth ongoing racial stereotypes, which therefore accentuates the bias’ of society.

In his essay, “In Living Color: Race and American Culture,” Michael Omi links television shows to the notable classification of race in America. He argues that media’s depiction of racial stereotypes influences the thoughts as well as attitudes of Americans towards their surrounding racial groups. Similarly, in the articles “Put on a Happy Face,” “Working Class Whites,” and “Being an Other” Benjamin DeMott, Angeline Price, and Melissa Algranati provide examples of television shows to deliver their points of view. DeMott discusses the fictional relationship between Caucasians and African Americans which is often represented in popular culture but does not reflect the reality of everyday life. He criticizes some television shows for depicting

Throughout this chapter, Korgen main arguments pertained to the media’s portrayal of Black and White biracial characters in movies. Typically the media portrays people with lighter skin to have more positive characteristics while people with darker skin more negative characteristics. Media is one first place young children get these images from and it can have a huge impression on them without even knowing it. They are placed within this social class of existence. “Viewers tend to pay the most attention to characters who share their age, race, and gender and those they wish they could be like” (Korgen, 2010, pg. 89). Biracial Americans go through the toughest scrutiny by both races on whether they fit into either group. I know my brother and sister have this issue from the time they were little especially my sister, she is lighter skinned and was never truly accepted by the black or white girls at school.

When looking at media today African American lives are over-exaggeratedly negative, giving viewers a false pretense of what it is to be black. Menace to Society, is an example of a poor portrayal of what it is to be an African American. While watching the movie it becomes obvious that a great majority of the African-American based movies ever made are about black on black violence, and crime. This movie is an example of the suppression

The concern of the audience see ethnic characters in the television shows as either positive or negative role models is discussed in a research of Howard Beach youth test. In Does TV Shape Ethnic Images, Robert and Linda Lichter asked over 1,200 students at a multi-ethnic high school in the Howard Beach area of Queens in New York City about their attitudes towards race and ethnicity in real life and on television (Lichter, R., & Lichter, R., 1988). As the survey shown in the article, African-American students have the highest rate of using what they have observed on the television to guide them through their own social and personal situations. While Black students were most likely to regard these ethnic characters as typical of their racial groups in reality, Jewish students were contrarily considered these character as reflection of the real-life groups whether they showed positive or negative response. The results provide the significant role of television as a reinforcer of how people view the status of different race and ethnicity in the society. Even though few people actually form their opinions of cultures and races based on what the television

In Living Color: Race and American Culture, Michael Omi discusses that, “In contemporary television and film, there is a tendency to present and equate racial minority groups individuals with specific social problems. Blacks are associated with drugs and urban crime, Latinos with ‘illegal’ immigration, while Native Americans cope with alcoholism and tribal conflicts” (632).

Matthew Hughey wrote “Cinethetic Racism: White Redemption and Black Stereotypes in ‘Magical Negro’ Films” in 2009 to dicuss the trend of progressive African-American representation called the magical negro. Hughey examined 26 films to understand race relations and how mainstream audiences interpret the films. He found that the magical negro are placed in subservient positions and can reaffirm the status quo by changing contemporary racism rather than showing evidence of racial progress. This literature piece is used to help describe the relationship between the majority and minority groups within the film, and

Television has been a source of entrainment for many years but, the problem that comes TV shows and the commercials is that there is not much diversity when it comes to race and ethnic groups. Race are categories that are defined by society which typically are based on what is convenient for the dominant group. In society people believe that race categories are real which then comes with real consequences and causes many issues (chapter 8 lecture slide 7). People also use race categories to classify themselves and others based on characteristics such as; physical differences and moral differences (lecture slide 7). With there being race categories, many of the groups such as African Americans or Hispanic are either not shown much screen time or they are portrayed as “bad” or “struggling” people this is because of the category that society has put these ethnic groups in. Although, TV entrainment has started to change who the lead of their TV shows or movies are and how they are being portrayed, there is still much stereotyping. This essay will be discussing some of the TV shows that have been examined and what type of roles the racial/ethnic minorities played.

According to Wilkerson, “From the beginning, television, the image mill for the mainstream has not known what to do with black characters. It has struggled, as has the country, to find a place for them that white Americans could find comforting and digestible from the safe distance of their living rooms. Reality had nothing to do with it.” The media has portrayed black characters as nothing more than, buffoons, hustlers, pimps, and prostitutes.