Representation Of African-Americans In The Media

From the very beginning African-Americans have been displayed negatively in the media. African-Americans were depicted as ignorant and inferior to their white counterparts. Although the image of African Americans has changed over the years there is still a long way to go to improve and display a more positive image. Media portrayals give the depiction that African Americans are either threatening, ignorant, or they endorse stereotypes. Different forms of media include television, newspapers, social media, etc. These depictions of the black community are important because they effect the everyday lives of black people. Studies show that most things viewed on television are perceived to be true.

Studies show that most things viewed on television

“The lives of black men in the US have long been adversely affected by negative public perceptions”(Donaldson). The 21st century consists of a great variety of media forms like video games, television, social media, etc., and during the 20th century it was television, newspapers, and other traditional media forms. Most Black people were mocked and criticized for their lack of knowledge. They were treated as property and not people, an example of this is the lost and found slave ads. These ads gave detailed descriptions of black people and offered compensation if they were found, thus treating them as property and not as people. In the 20th century there was many tv series and movies that had prejudiced displays that encouraged stereotypes. The typical African American male stereotype is displayed as gangsters, post officer workers, athletes, and entertainers. African American women are displayed as maids, sexual objects, and angry. The Disney films Dumbo and Fantasia, both released in 1940, had racist, stereotypical black images. Dumbo, had black crows as jive, slang talking birds that represented African American people. The movie Fantasia’s, black centaurs were happy servants, and the remake film in 1960 eliminated any black representations. The Carmichael Show created by African American male, Jerrod Carmichael, is a 21st century tv series that encourages stereotypes. It is a comedy show that shows the main character as having uneducated parents, a jobless brother, and a ratchet sister-in-law named Keisha. These are all examples of negative portrayals in the media, but not all images are negative. Immediately following the civil rights movement, black people were seen having more positive roles on television. An example is that now films typically give black people the assistant positions, best-friend roles, and the