Race & Media PortrayalByNicholas Shewprasad

Introspection

When one thinks of a criminal or terrorist, what race/gender usually comes to mind? Although it is a very stereotypical question,

many of us think of a male minority.

Bell hooks states: “Stereotypes, however inaccurate, are one form

of representation” (170).

What does this representation create?

Representation

This stereotypical image is strongly evident through history.

Bell hooks writes, “French officials [were] stopping black people to make sure they were not terrorists/illegal immigrants” (174). This creates a predator/prey situation in which

the minority are always the prey

Bell hooks’ Opinion

Bell hooks strongly agrees that whiteness was the dominating force in the early colonial times.

The Blacks were always subservient to the whites, therefore allowing the whites more freedom to be violent.

Through all of the racism over the course of history, Blacks stereotypically became more deviant, as portrayed in movies.

Racism & Sports

Within the Stuart Hall readings, there was a reference to the “villainy” and “heroism” within the Olympic community. Hall goes on to explain that a black athlete who

took drugs encompassed both “heroism and villainy in world athletics in one black body” (228). Heroism = success for the receiving the gold

medal in a sport dominated by the Black community

Villainy = the usage of drugs to enhance his performance.

Crime in Movies

Lots of movies on today’s market have involved terrorists and other devious people due to the current events that have arisen.

In reading an academic article about movies (“Crime in Movies”), the researchers came to the conclusion that crime, to some people, is seen as a way to show of their masculinity.

The crimes usually involved the domination of another person through physical harm, thus “showing off” the assaulter’s physical strength.

Article by Sarah Eschholz & Jana Bufkin

Crime in Movies (con’t)

Eschholz & Bufkin write, “The action adventure genre offers a vivid example, where the hero in the film commits many criminal acts” (664). The action adventure genre is riddled with crime, and

the main actor/actress usually has the help of a minority.

The famous T.V. movie series “Roots” shows the measures a black slave would through to achieve freedom. The adventure within the series (fight to freedom)

involved a large amount of devious behavior and is supported by bell hooks’ concept of whiteness.

Race & Media

Earl Sheridan, a researcher who studied Blacks in media, came to the conclusion that Blacks have been constantly displayed as criminals. Some movies include “A Nigger in the Woodpile” and

“Uncle Tom’s Cabin” These movies stereotypically portrayed Blacks as

“’dancing fools’” (178).

These movies were combatted by movies that contained a subtle message of racism’s wrongness. Movies include “To Kill a Mockingbird”, “Guess Who’s

Coming to Dinner”, and “The Learning Tree”Article “Conservative Implications of the Irrelevance of Racism in Contemporary African American Cinema” – Earl Sheridan

“Birth of a Nation” (1915)

This movie is one of the most controversial movies ever to be created.

D.W. Griffith uses racism throughout the movie Blacks were seen as bumbling fools and were

highly obsessed with white women

Ironically, the actors who acted the Blacks were white actors using Blackface. This allowed the white actors to mercilessly

ridicule Blacks in this racial parody

Advertising & Racism

YouTube Clip

Within the clip, Oprah and Dr. Spencer review how racism is evident in advertising.

The African American population watches more TV than any other minority group. They see the symbols of power which are white males,

and beauty is usually portrayed by a white female.

Barbie is used to show how beauty is portrayed Opposite to a African American girl, Barbie is blonde,

blue-eyed, and has white skin.

Q&A – Social Media

YouTube Clip

This clip answers many of the questions regarding racism in social media Freedom of Speech – Amendment 1- holds true

to social media

America is shown as one of the most racist countries as freedom allowed the creation of racist groups such as the KKK.

The World Today

Throughout media, the minority are in subservient roles to the white population.

It’s interesting that the the white population refers to people with fair/light skin from around the world, while the Black population primarily refers to people from the continent of Africa.

Devious acts within movies are usually done by a minority Blacks are portrayed as thieves, anyone with brown

skin from Asia/Middle East is seen as a terrorist

The World Today (con’t)

Racism is still present today and probably will never be eradicated because of media portrayal. Although the US is the most culturally diverse, the US

has a dark history regarding racism, literally.

I am sure many minorities, like myself, can relate to racism since we have all had at least some encounter with it at some point.

“Be the change you want to see in the world” – Mohandas Gandhi Racism must end. Gandhi said this after peacefully

bringing down the British Empire in India.