The film that we watched in class was based primarily around ethnic caricatures of African Americans. These specific caricatures depicted extremely hurtful stereotypes of blacks. Black women were portrayed as a "mammy" figure, who was viewed by the general public as fat, ugly and asexual. Talk about degrading! If I was in a black woman's shoes during this time period this image of ugliness would definitely make me feel useless. Not only were women portrayed as ugly, but men were stereotyped as irresponsible and stupid, while children were often compared to animals.
This film bothered me a lot. It boggles my mind to think that these images were used to justify slavery, lynchings, and other violent acts against blacks. Although many people are too ignorant to see the hate and racial hostility in a lot of these black caricatures, it is clear that the blacks were extremely dehumanized.
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Women being portrayed as the "mammy" figure was defenitily degrading. I hadn't thought about this until your post, but you bring up a great point. I also agree with your over all feelings of this film. It bothered me to and it is hard to believe that these things really did happen.
I was also quite amazed by this film. Even though the narrator of the film talked about how negative these depictions of black men, women, and children her voice came across as if it was the way of the world. This is how things were and you simply accepted it. You know after this film I began to think about depictions of white women, men, and children and I could not come up with anything as negative as what we saw in class. You know it is interesting I have head references in the past to the BET channel and how come we don’t have the WET channel, but you know even on BET they do not depict white people in such a negative, degrading, and stereotypical fashion as the media portrayals of African Americans.
I also noticed that African American children were portrayed as animal-like in the film. I was extremely bothered by this. For cartoons and drawings to insinuate that African American children were not needed or valued in society was simply immoral. Many of the African American children were represented in a dehumanized way by being unclothed or animal-like. The aim of these depictions seemed to be to overlook these African American children in attempt to keep white children superior.
I find it horrible that these were cartoons aimed for the target population of children. These cartoons were not to long ago, because I remember bugs bunny and popeye as having these images.
I understand what you mean when you said that the film really bothered you. I felt like I was squirming around in my seat a lot, especially because I know people who are still racist enough to believe that those images are "OK" and acceptable in our culture today. They aren't.
I felt like Mammy was so inacurate and degrading to women. A very small population of the black race probably even resembled the Mammy figure, and those who did shouldn't have been associated with the non-sexual, nursemaid-like characteristic. By associating members of the black race with specific stereotypes, whites lost all ability to view them with individuality.
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