Essay on Shaping the Image of Black America

The Dark Age was characterized with racial segregation and stereotyping. Black people who lived in America bore the brunt of their skin color, and they had to live with the consequences of fate which they did not choose. Employment opportunities were reserved for white individuals, and the entertainment industry was not any better (In Arapoglou, In Kalogeras & In Nyman, 2016). An analysis of TV shows which were aired in the 1950s and 1960s confirms these allegations since these mirrored racial stereotypes. Of interest is the show Amos n Andy which was originally broadcasted on radio. There, two white characters mimicked the voices of black men. When the producer decided to air it on television in 1951, the cast was changed to two black men. This shows contribution to the image of Black America through racial stereotyping will be discussed. Additionally, Roots distinction from the shows in the 1950s and 1960s are worth considering.

The fact that the show was initially performed by white men but later cast by Black Americans raises eyebrows. The original participants imitated the voices of black men portraying them as foolish in their reasoning. It is possible that the producer could not imagine that a white man was suitable to play the role of a fool and it would be worse to allow them to perform that role on screen. For that reason, a black individual was the best choice to act the part. It is a decision which may have been well motivated, but the implication is that Black Americans adequately represent stupidity and shallow reasoning as compared to their white counterparts. Additionally, the show insinuated that the black man is uneducated, a misleading stereotype since it is during that period when institutions such as the Bowdoin College registered the First Black American graduate in its history.

The shows focus on conman antics as displayed by Kingship who in addition to this questionable trait was painted as stupid could not escape the viewer. Eventually, a negative racial stereotype ensued among members of the society who thought that all Black Americans are crafty due to their poor reasoning capabilities (In Arapoglou, In Kalogeras & In Nyman, 2016). Worse still, very few TV shows with black characters were cast during this period. Any average person who watched this program was likely to develop such a mindset to the disadvantage of Black Americans. Eventually, activists realized that this show ought to be pulled out of television due to its controversial nature hence its cancellation.

The 1970s saw a mental shift among individuals with stereotypical minds. Thanks to the miniseries Roots of 1977, African-Americans could be seen performing prominent roles on TV programs; a rare occurrence in other TV shows during this time. In this series, the black man was seen to triumph over the slaveries imposed upon him by the white man. As such, this miniseries emphasized that none was superior from the other. While television viewers possibly tuned in in millions to laugh at the stupidity of the black man in Amos n Andy, Roots attracted the masses, in the tune of millions, who were curious to learn about their historical background ("The perception and portrayal of blacks from "Roots" to the Present, in Television", 2017). For the first time, African-Americans; though television, were used as tools for education and enlightenment. It contributed to the African American popular culture which thrived on passing across educative information through acting.

Conclusively; years later, African-Americans such as Bill Cosby demonstrated that African-Americans could flourish in the pop industry. Before the production of Roots, movie gurus opined that a black cast would irritate the larger white audience consequently affecting a films rating. Eventually, the films sales would be affected, and the producers may incur losses ("The perception and portrayal of blacks from "Roots" to the Present, in Television", 2017). Roots overcame this stereotype since it attracted both the white and black audience. The image of Black Americans was transformed from that of people from whom nothing but humor could be derived to that of talented individuals who could use their skills to better the film industry in addition to educating the masses about their historical background.

References

The perception and portrayal of blacks from "Roots" to the Present, in Television. (2017). Web.stanford.edu. Retrieved 19 April 2017, from https://web.stanford.edu/class/e297c/poverty_prejudice/mediarace/perception.htm

In Arapoglou, E., In Kalogeras, Y., & In Nyman, J. (2016). Racial and ethnic identities in the media.