African-American Movie and Television Images

Paper Summary:

This paper presents an extensive chronology of the manner in which African-American have been presented in movies and on television. This paper states that despite the attempt to portray American culture accurately, the media lags behind in regards to the changes in morality and values held by the American people, especially in the portrayal of minorities. The author feels that because television is an intense carrier of socialization, there needs to be much more research to assess the impact of these images on the psyche of black youth.

Table of Contents
Background Information on U.S. Media and Television
The American Audience
Four Functions of Media
The Image of African-Americans on Television
Roots of the Distorted Images of African-Americans
The Birth of Television Images
Life on Television Study
The Neilson Rating System
Televisions Impact on Socialization
Socialization and Comprehension in Childhood
Studies with Children and Television

From the Paper:

"The Anglo-Saxon beliefs, which were brought to this country, showed the beginning of racial prejudice in this country. White was seen as pure, clean, good, reflecting the spiritual light; and black was seen as impurity, filth, evil and spiritual darkness. Those people who were prosperous and self-sufficient were the spiritual elect, and those who were enslaved were seen as damned. These beliefs carried on in the South, with the mythology of the happy slaves who were content to serve the master as the ultimate fulfillment of their lives. This became one of the many justifications for slavery and exploitation of blacks. During the Reconstruction period, images of a lazy, slow-witted blacks with loose morals and fondness for alcohol were used to reinforce institutionalized and social racism."

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