The Way, Meet Vera Stark Essay

This paper reflects Dorothy Dandridge the first African American actress to achieve a leading-role status. Mrs. Dandridge also had a deeply troubled life, marked by the scars of a miserable childhood, a string of failed personal relationships, numerous career setbacks, and ongoing struggles with drug and alcohol abuse. Racism was also one of the demons with which she had to deal with.

Stereotypes and generalizations about African Americans and their culture have evolved within American society dating back to the colonial years of settlement, particularly after slavery became a racial institution that was heritable. However in the clips we watched and from my own viewing of the movie Carmen Jones the movie explains two media stereotyped roles present in films with black characters, the black jezebel and the integrationist hero. Their representations of these roles have many implications on how their characters interact with each other and other characters throughout the film and the outcome of the film’s plot. For a number of years in American film, one could find two black stereotypical presences, the integrationist hero, who dominated the screen for a time, and the black jezebel, also present in many films. Hollywood made movies that featured the well liked,

Quentin Tarantino’s film Jackie Brown, released in 1997, challenges the pervasive stereotyping of not only blacks but specifically black women. Nowhere is the cinematic devaluation of African Americans more evident than in images of black women which, in the history of cinematography, the white ideal for female beauty has overlooked. The portrayal of black women as the racial Extra has been fabricated through many semblances in the history of American film. Film scholars and feminists alike have long been plagued with lament for the negativity and stereotyping that sticks with black women in American cinema. In this paper, I will argue that Jackie Brown highlights and stresses the racial variance of the female African American protagonist,

Black women have never “had it easy” or “had it made” when it comes to the entertainment business. Hollywood has always been white-washed when it comes to the direction they wanted to go in terms of actors for their movies. Most roles that are casted are for white women and men, and the black actors/actresses are given whatever is left. It is truly not fair at all. When black women are given the opportunity to embody a traditionally white role, they are nothing short of phenomenal. This makes one wonder why they are still given supporting roles. African-American women have struggled to gain promising roles in Hollywood, which has hurt their acting careers and affected their lives.

Abstract: This essay seeks to explore how the 2002 Broadway production of the musical Hairspray depicts and produces inclusivity in American life in both modern and contemporaneous periods. The point of view set up in the show emulates the concept of a “white savior complex” in its efforts to showcase the perils of black people in the entertainment industry in the 1960s, along with minimizing the responsibility of white people in the systematic societal racial structure. Despite these shortcomings in historical accuracy in its overly-optimistic portrayal of segregation, Hairspray gave explicit, designated opportunities to black actors to be highly featured in a Broadway production. And unlike other shows during its time, it ultimately brought up conversations of segregation and racism in the entertainment industry in a time where these issues were seldomly addressed.

There are hardly any films involving African-Americans that accurately represent black culture and it is something that has rarely been accomplished in the mainstream film industry. In the 30s, black film had an extraordinary presence as they were shown to large segregated audiences. However, by the 80’s black film was seen as simply comic relief with no true depictions of real life. In 1986, She’s Gotta Have It was introduced by director, editor and actor Spike Lee who wanted real people with real lives in his work. The film offers a new perspective on sexuality and the double standard that is applied to men and women. This portrayal allowed audiences to visualize African-Americans as any other race when it comes to loving one another and

This autobiographical analysis will define the civil rights achievements of the famous African American actor, Canada Lee. Lee’s background as a jockey, boxer, and a musician would set the stage for a major acting career in theater and in Hollywood. More importantly, Lee would use his fame as an actor to promote racial equality through the support of Hollywood magnates, such as Orson Wells, and through the theatrical/literary guidance of Langston Hughes. Lee would be become known for his role in Lifeboat (1944) by Alfred Hitchcock, but he would also get other roles in throughout this historical period. These successes as an actor propelled Lee to the forefront of civil rights issues that were becoming more of a problem during the 1930s

In the beginning stages of production, Carmen Jones garnered negative reception first by using a black actress in the staring role. While a box office hit, the film was criticized for adhering to a logic of segregation that situates black representations within idealized often-rural landscapes and/or of any larger social context. In the 1940s, Hollywood was under pressure by the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) to cast a black woman in a non-stereotypical role in hopes of assimilating black culture into mainstream fields. Up to that time, a fair number of African-American actresses were offered roles where they were portrayed in subservient positions as mammies, maids, and whores or as exotic/primitive examples of sexual desire in

The United States has long been a country that has accepted that change is a necessity for prosperity and growth. However, each change within the nation's history was hard fought against those who resisted such change either through racism, bigotry, and blatant discrimination. African American cinema is enshrouded in history that depicts these themes of racism, struggle, and deprivation. Yet, this same cinema also shows scenes of hope, artistic spirit, intellectual greatness, and joy. Black actresses, actors, directors, producers, and writers have been fighting for recognition and respect since the great Paul Robeson. The civil rights movement of the 1950's and 60's was fueled by black cinema through films like A Raisin in the Sun.

The film industry’s portrayal of African American people consists of countless stereotypes and inaccuracies. These depictions lead to an innumerable amount of misrepresentations about the African American community. As the latest wave of black films begins to dawn, the clearer the images become of a collective people. Using my personal experiences as a mixed woman of color, as well as including my academic strengths and goals, and points of view regarding various black films, the content of this paper will examine the representation and stereotypes that can be seen in African American Hollywood.

Over the course of approximately one-hundred years there has been a discernible metamorphosis within the realm of African-American cinema. African-Americans have overcome the heavy weight of oppression in forms such as of politics, citizenship and most importantly equal human rights. One of the most evident forms that were withheld from African-Americans came in the structure of the performing arts; specifically film. The common population did not allow blacks to drink from the same water fountain let alone share the same television waves or stage. But over time the strength of the expectant black actors and actresses overwhelmed the majority force to stop blacks from appearing on film. For the longest time the performing arts were

For centuries, whites have built a racial hierarchical system where they have put themselves above people of color. Whether this be seen during early American history when African slaves were forced into labor practices, during the Civil Rights movement when Jim Crow laws enforced racial segregation, or in the 20th Century film industry, this system of oppression has proved one thing: white success would be nothing without a racial dependence on the black society. Looking closer into the films of the 20th century, we see the white characters of various plots use black “Others” to better define who they are and to better solidify the hierarchy that has been developing through United States history. Imitation of Life (1934) directed by John M Stahl and Pinky (1949) directed by Elia Kazan both contain plotlines, characters, and racial theories that aid in portraying racial Otherness among blacks in both films to boost the success of whites. In Imitation of Life, Delilah, the Other, is used by Bea to promote her own success as a widowed white entrepreneur as well as mistreated by her fair-skinned daughter Peola whom desires to achieve racial success by passing as white. Similarly, but with important differences, Ms. Em’s depends on Pinky who is designated as an Other in the film Pinky to live out her vision of success – passing as black.

Particularly, in Civil War era films, African American women were predominantly shown as having a robust figure, a constant smile, and a happy disposition, i.e. mammies. “By the time the flood of Civil War features began in 1908, these racist cliches were set in stone” (Chadwick 80). The archetype of Mammy became a stereotype created by white producers in an effort to portray African American women in a more pleasing light, to satisfy white audiences. Filmmakers actions created an intensified racial stereotype and instilled a false image of African Americans. Chadwick called this “the Hollywood black”: a racial viewpoint filmmakers created about blacks.

Old Hollywood was revered for its glamour, elegance, innovation, and stars. One thing it was not well-known for, though, was its diversity. Its stars were mostly beautiful white performers, all glamorous and talented in their own right, but nevertheless, all the same. Due to the obvious racism of the time period, culture, and of Hollywood itself, African-American actors tended to take a backseat, no matter how talented they were. Furthermore, even when they did have their opportunity to perform, they were depicted in not-so-flattering ways, their direction paling in comparison to their white counterparts, even if their talents were similar. Performers such as Lena Horne and the Nicholas Brothers had to fight tooth-and-nail to even get recognized in the film musical industry, and even when they eventually got featured, it was not in the best of lights. Still, their efforts showcased that African-American performers were just as talented, if not more skilled, than many of the white actors on the screen.

Over the past hundred years or so, looking back across the many forms and numerous amounts of literature and cinema throughout the years on what we as a people consider as ‘classic’ fiction; how many of the heroes and protagonists can we say were of color and not just Caucasian? A study was done by the UCLA School of Law along with the Chicano Studies Research Center found that Latino, African American, Native American and Asian American actors have had few acting opportunities made available to them. (Bernardi & Patton, 2007) Bernardi & Patton proposed that 69 percent of role were withheld for white actors and another 8.5 percent of roles were opened to nonwhite actors as well as white actors. With nonwhite actors being limited to between