Ethnic Notions by Marlon Riggs- racial stereotypes

“Ethnic Notions” is Marlon Riggs’ Emmy-winning documentary movie which pushes viewers to follow the traces of American history, showing the racial stereotypes and myths that have been influencing whites’ perception of African-Americans. The documentary is based on several visual images of blacks that shape feelings about race. This movie interweaves mistral shows, advertisements and other types of entertainment to show hideously caricatured blacks with curly hair, big lips and bulging eyes, attending to whites with a great servitude.

In the antebellum period African-Americans were presented as submissive and happy creatures. Jim Crow, Sambo, Zip Coon, Pickanninny, Mammy- they all become American definition of a Black. The Jim Crow and the Sambo were both presented as childish, innocent laughing creature

Another black character presented is Mammy. She is a complete opposite of a white woman. Strong, fat, very black, head covered, asexual, she functions as antithesis of a white woman who is supposed to be gentle, beautiful and subordinate. Mammy is presented as a controller while in the society this role is supposed to be taken over by males. Mammy has no attributes of fertility and sexuality so as not to be able to compete with a white woman for a position in the household relations. These images were created for the propaganda purpose. Numerous movies, postcards, adds, presented not a real African-American woman but antebellum perception of her. These images were so strong that not only whites but even the black population believed them.

The situation of perceiving blacks changed after the Civil War. Unfortunately, the promises of equality were not kept. The best exampl

Some topics in this essay:
Happy Sambo, Riggs’ Emmy-winning, Birth Nation”, Crow Sambo, World War, Zip Coon, War Unfortunately, ETHIC NOTIONS-, white woman, Mammy- American, zip coon, crow sambo, jim crow, types entertainment, racial stereotypes, Jim Crow, blacks changed, jim crow sambo,