In Marlon Riggs’ 1992 documentary film titled Color Adjustment, Riggs, the Emmy winning producer of Ethnic Notions, continues his studies of prejudice in television. The documentary film looks at the years between 1948 and 1988 to analyze how over a 40 year period, race relations are viewed through the lens of prime time entertainment. The film examined many of television’s stereotypes and mythes and how they changed over the years. The one hour and twenty-two minute documentary is narrated by Ruby Dee, the American actress, poet, playwright, screenwriter, journalist, and civil rights activist.
explaining that what she had gone through is something they may have to go through now. The movie continues by showing an artistic reenactment of the horrendous tragedy that was Hiroshima. From there she reenacts the assassination of JFK, Medgar, Martin Luther King Jr., and Malcom X. Moving forward she broadcast the civil rights movement from the style to the deep depression that followed. The video revisits it’s opening shot by discussing the 2008 debate between President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, in which Obama had won the Democratic Nomination.
The documentary also has applied specificity. For example, shows Jim Crow South in a positive light. The clip plays a cheery tune, trying to emphasize that Jim Crow South wasn’t all that bad. Overall, the archival adds support to the filmmaker’s
In Anne Moody’s memoir, she is faced with many obstacles and one of the major ones is her own mother, Toosweet. Toosweet resists the urge for the movement to continue because she projects her fear of change very clearly while Anne on the other hand is desperately aspiring change for blacks in the southern community. Toosweet sustains a hold on Anne encouraging her to live her life as everyone else and so she continues standing as a barrier between Anne and the movement. Yet, Anne finds all the more reason to continue her work as a member of the NAACP and Core. Anne not only wants to end segregation but to prove to her mother that she is capable of such an advance.
In Mississippi explores a community in Mississippi called Charleston, which segregates its prom for black and white students, until 2008, when the first integrated one was held. Morgan Freeman, who lives in Charleston, offered to pay for their prom as long as it was integrated. His first offer in 1997 was turned down, but in 2008, it was finally accepted. It is shocking to think that such blatant racism still exists in the twenty-first century, but, unfortunately, it does. From an anthropological perspective, the subject matter of the documentary is a perfect example of structuralism.
Leaving last week’s class, my mind was darting in all sorts of directions. While the “Eyes on the Prize” excerpt gave me a concrete understanding of the historic events of the desegregation of Little Rock High School, “Little Rock Central High: 50 Years Later” brought up all sorts of observations and questions on race in America that I hadn’t necessarily thought to address before. I think these two films were particularly interesting to view back to back because of their difference in style, content, and execution. I have viewed many of the “Eyes on The Prize” segments in past classes and this segment, “Fighting Back”, continues to stand out to me. Through the use of first person interviews and real footage, the piece gave me, what felt like, a clear look
Many of the speakers are frustrated at the fact that systemic racism is still very much alive, yet they remain professional. They discuss issues and problems in detail to give the audience a full understanding of the topic. Because of this and their desire to be direct, glossing-over details and censorship does not occur. The documentary has two main points of discussion: the history of oppression in America, and the prison industrial-complex. During the first half of the film, wherein the speakers discuss the discrimination of African-Americans, the tone used is factual and [smth].
The Swedish documentary, Black Mixtape, traces race relations in the United States from 1967-1975. The captivating documentary includes appearances by popular African American figures like Civil Rights activist Stokely Carmichael, Black Panther Party founders Bobby Seale and Huey P. Newton and Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan. The purpose of the documentary is to show America in a different viewpoint than how it is portrayed internationally. Due to the Swedish dialect throughout the film, it is evident that there isn’t a specified audience. Black Americans have struggled to obtain equality and justice in this country for decades.
I chose this film because it showed how hard the union workers and families worked in fighting racial injustices, and because it inspired myself to move forward with strong ideologies and pride. 2. Stereotyping in mass media was an important concern of Chicana/o media activists because it imprinted a demeaning label by only casting Chicana/o actors with "minor roles: villains, sidekicks, temptresses, where their main function is to provide the protagonists, typically a handsome white
Child labor was a major issue that had carried out for centuries. These laborious children worked tirelessly day by day and eventually needed saving from this horrendous lifestyle. The people who answered this cry for help were known as reformers, who began their take of charge in the late 1800’s. They were the first to give the children a fighting chance against the back-breaking labor industry by using various methods and techniques. Reformers made an impact to end child labor in the early 1900’s by forming organizations, organizing strikes, and by unveiling the issues of child labor to the public.
As part of my ongoing quest to understand the intersectional and multi-faceted world we live in, I was drawn to the McIntosh reading “White Privilege:Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack” and its powerful commentary on racial biases affecting women in our modern world. I loved the way she spoke about the many simple things that she as a white person doesn’t need to worry about as a default, which non-white people wouldn’t,like the assumption that her tax audits would be executed fairly and without ludicrous scrutiny. This reading inspired me to venture out into my home town and look for an event that spoke to the same issues. I found myself in a small art gallery which was featuring various pieces by indigenous women. The exhibit had a particular focus on the
Angelou’s contribution to the Civil Rights Movement and her achievements as an activist were remarkable. While these achievements seem to be enough to last a lifetime, the Civil Rights Movement was only the beginning for Angelou. Angelou worked as an outspoken Civil Rights activist during the movement. But even after the Civil Rights Movement had ended, she continued to be a voice of humanity, speaking out against anything that harmed the human spirit. Angelou moved on to influence American society as a whole, from the 1970’s to the day she died, May 28, 2014.
Williamson Starr holds her tongue when people piss her off so nobody will think she’s the ‘angry black girl.’ Williamson Starr is approachable… Williamson Star is nonconfrontational. Basically, Williamson Star doesn’t give any reason to call her ghetto” (71). Rather than internalizing the racism, she acknowledges the racial stereotypes and sacrifices the expression of her cultural background and unified identity to achieve inclusion and disprove the notion that all African Americans act a certain way.
History helps us learn who we are, but when we don’t know our history, our power and dreams are immediately diminished. In regards to the previous month of February and the present, March, a special celebration of the impact African American women have had on American history is very important. African American women and their accomplishments and bravery are often overlooked in mainstream history. In the months of March and especially February, Black women are often times left out of the conversation of innovation and history. During the civil rights movement many important leaders such as Dr. King and current congressman John Lewis were recognized, but not the women who actually started the bus boycotts in Montgomery and organizations located in the historical West End neighborhood that focused on denouncing the negative African American stigmas in society.
The influential ideologies by Malcolm X on guerilla (warfare) anti-colonial problems around the globe cast a light on the creation of relevant groups called the Weather Underground and the Black Panther party. In “Just Kids,” Patti Smith narrates the
