'Amos 'N' Andy' and Modern Black Sitcoms

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses the trend of race stereotyping on American television. Using 1951 sitcom "Amos 'n' Andy" as a benchmark, the author points out how racism and stereotyping of African Americans have changed throughout the years. The paper also discusses other modern black African-American sitcoms such as the "Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" and "The Cosby Show". The author concludes that by taking a closer look at the many similarities between "Amos 'n' Andy" and modern black shows, one can conclude that racism is still very much present in American television, however, they all have at least one positive factor - influencing minority groups', specifically blacks' in moving toward equality.

From the Paper:

"Racism has been omnipresent in American society for longer than any living American can remember. It has changed from overt racism (e.g., slavery, segregation) to more covert forms, continuing the "tradition" from the background. One of the reflections of America's racism can be seen in television programming. Following the trend, television's racism has changed significantly, pleasing those who would believe that racism is limited to individual acts of aggression towards members of minority groups."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Cripps, T.R. (1983). Amos 'n' Andy and the debate over American racial integration. In J. O'Connor (Ed.), American history American television. New York: Frederick Ungar Publishing.
• Deane, P. (n.d.). Amos 'n' Andy Show: U.S. domestic comedy. Retrieved November 19, 2008, from http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/A/htmlA/amosnandy/amosnandy.htm
• Freeman, M. (n.d.). Amos 'n' Andy: Past as prologue? Retrieved November 19, 2008, from http://www-rohan.sdsu.edu/~mfreeman/resources.php?content_id=27
• Godwyll, F.E., & Annin, C. (2007). Perpetuation of racism and sexism in the US: Subtle reinforcement by popular culture. The International Journal of Diversity in Organisations, Communities, and Nations, 6(4), 41-50.
• Markowitz, N. (2007, June). The Sopranos: Farewell to a racist minstrel show with guns. Retrieved November 19, 2008, from http://www.politicalaffairs.net/article/view/5409/1/266/

More papers on 'Amos 'N' Andy' and Modern Black Sitcoms:

• Article Review # 116657 : "Race and the Black Male Body"
• Book Review # 2944 : "Tituba and Modern Issues"
• Research Paper # 67289 : "James Cone: Black Theology and the Black Christ"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: