The Impact of African American Roles on Television :: essays research papers

The image of African Americans has been greatly depreciated by the roles they play on tv set sitcoms. On these shows African Americans ar depicted as being maids, clowns, and buffoons. This misrepresentation of African Americans has become usual place through out the media. One of the most controversial sitcoms was the Amos n Andy Show. This sitcom included two char comedic men and began the creation of the African American stereotypes that most people have grown accustom to today. The Amos n Andy Show began as a radio show with two sinlessness men characterization two black comedic men. When the show transferred to television, it consisted of the two black men portraying the two black comedic dummies. They were still performing the humourous comedy as they did on the radio show, but to be equal to see them visually had a greater effect. The roles that the two black men played are the characteristic roles that blacks play in television networks. The shows portraying blacks as having low self-esteem became very popular among whites and some blacks. The Amos n Andy Show was taken off air after being protested by blacks including the NAACP (Poussaint 1). The Amos n Andy Show Godfrey 2had a profound effect on blacks. From that point on, blacks believed that in order to be successful in the television network they had to portray themselves as being idiotic and lazy. Stereotypes such as this have been continuously developing in the television network unconstipated today. The modernized images played by blacks are drunks, thugs, thieves, gangsters, and other characters that are low-level to whites. By creating these images of blacks, it has caused both blacks and whites to see African Americans as being insensible and believing that is the only way that they should act. Television networks depict whites as the typical families with no problems, and blacks as the single parents with a long list of problems. The clashing of those roles had a great effect on how the African American race, upstart and old conceive their selves. Even today, there are very a few(prenominal) African American business people. These racist stereotypes has conformed their minds into thinking that less is best. modern African American children watch these televisions shows that portray blacks as being thugs and uneducated. Those children go through school acting that same way, getting into trouble, and making cypher of their selves.