The Cosby Show In American Culture

Researched Argument Essay Having accurate representation matters. Unfortunately, that is a concept that the media industry has not quite grasped. The portrayal of African Americans in the media, whether it be plays, television, news, movies, or social media has always been negative since the birth of slavery in the United States of America. Playing on the negative stereotypes of African Americans, white Americans have gone on to believe their false impressions of Africans Americans and this has hindered African Americans from gaining social change and respectability.

Classified History X by Melvin van Peebles thinking about how African Americans could be viewed in movies by younger generations. In the documentary Peebles, talks about that moment when he was 12 or 13 and he realizes that he feels shame coming out of the movie theater. This got me thinking back to all the times I would sit and watch movies as a kid. As my mother was a huge fan of the Turner classic movie station, I grew up watching movies such as Casablanca and Billy the kid. Most time I would brush the old movies off, thinking they were either too boring or too hurtful and scary.

Kara Walker is an accomplished black female artist who explores race and gender issues through the historical impact of slavery in a dark manner. She has a distinctive style that utilizes sharp value contrasts between black and white hues that highlight the racial thematic aspect of her artwork. She uses cut paper silhouettes as her medium of choice, popular during antebellum period and lacking an elegant connotation, they were seen as a form of craft. Famous for her cut paper silhouettes and lithograph prints, Walker unapologetically depicts black figures that are reminiscent of minstrel figures in a confrontational way not meant to comfort the viewer. Restraint is a lithograph print created in 2009 that depicts the profile of a black figure

An example of this racism and stereotyping in TV shows made as humor is the ever long lasting show, The Simpsons. A long running joke on this show is the use Hindus only working in grocery stores and giving their owners very stereotypical name for being Hindu. These subtle but racist on going joking, but the public think it is okay to have these racist mindsets. Using stereotypes are also happens frequently in movies.

Where do we draw the lines between adoration and mockery, influence and appropriation, and individuality and stereotyping? Accordingly, the racial subject has always been a touchy topic to discuss, but with the lasting effects that the black minstrelsy has left in the society, we most definitely need to deal with the racial subject. Only this way can the American society move forward both as a nation and as a species, and through such efforts, only then can we ensure that such history can never repeat

In the sixties, segregation and racism dominated in most social settings. In the seventies, most minorities were trying to deter from old beliefs of prejudicial ideas. In modern times, minorities have equal rights and respect to their white counterparts. Four sitcoms, Amos ’n’ Andy, Julia, Sanford and Son, and The Cosby Show depict how the role of minorities changed throughout different time periods. First of all, in the 1950’s, African Americans had few roles in television sitcoms, but when they were offered parts, it consisted of stereotypical portrayals of characters being lazy, simple, or holding domestic servant roles.

This is not to say it is a morally upright practice, or even morally-laden at all, but it is entirely feasible. Context versus content is a key consideration in examining any media artifact. The use of blackface versus the consumption of blackface performances demonstrates two different ideas—especially when African-American performers and even black sympathizers engage in the production practice. The use itself became such a standard mode of presentation that, for the sake of commercial effectiveness, was adopted. The consumption, then, is something

Racial confrontations were present in the 1950s, sometimes escalating into full-scale anti-black riots. Most of white Americans in 1950s ignored larger patterns of racial and political repression. because at the time, the media was not responding to any of them, creating the ignorant culture of the 1950s remembered as innocent. That decade was built on illusion perpetuated by the entertainment media. Coontz states the fact that these humorous television programs did not reflect the reality, but rather what, at the time, was the should be style of life for the white family.

His argument clearly states that African Americans are playing more roles in Hollywood blockbusters as mentors or in this case “god like” for the main characters. However, many of the roles played by African Americans are that of mentors and are not receiving the proper applause they should be receiving. Matt Seitz presents great material in his article that doesn’t sound bias and enough information to make him credible. Interesting enough, Matt Seitz isn’t biased in his argument. This is because he defends the saying “Magical Negro”, a politically incorrect term from Spike Lee (Seitz).

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.

Introduction African-American pop culture and pop culture in general, may be researched by a lot of researchers but I still get the impression that its roots are badly overlooked. Pop culture isn’t only an entertainment but it has some great depth into it that makes it worth learning the subject. In my thesis, I want to give more attention to the development of the African-American culture throughout all these years from the very beginning. How only one race can make a significant changes, not only in their own nation but in the country they’ve been brought to ruthlessly. It’s amazing how the human race that used to be treated literally like animals, representing the lowest class, benefitted the ones that used them in the past with their creativity

The film Girl’s Trip has been applauded for being a celebration of blackness in the primarily white film industry. The majority of the cast and the writers for Girl’s Trip are people of color. The film was much more successful than its “white counterpart” Rough Night in box office revenue and reviews. However, most of the black characters in Girl’s Trip shift through various controlling images throughout the movie. The reason these stereotypes are less obvious than they are in some other films is because each characters portrays multiple stereotypes and different times throughout the film.

By writing the play in a realistic way, the audience both American and African

I enjoyed the comical and lighthearted dancing and singing approach the characters had to the somber situations around them. Watching this few years later and after taking a Text and Meaning course, I was struck at the sheer amount of things that stood out. The Negroes were declared “other”. In post colonialist theory, declaring one race “other” marginalizes them and stresses on how

Racial stereotypes in films has occurred among people of color through characters, especially black. This has made challenges in opportunities, leading to a prevalence of stereotypes and lack of diversity on-screen, and they have also come a long way with many perspectives in the movie industry. The motion industry have had long history and criticism for its racially casting options since it has a significant role in a mass dissemination across the globe to audiences in every generation and have affected people’s belief systems. However, since a development in technologies and people’s perception, several modern filmmakers have already started to change the old stereotypes to be diverse and more positive. Furthermore,x black actors