Stereotypes Of African American Women Essay

Today, television is one of the main sources of media that depicts the way that African American women are represented. African American women are, continuously, depicted in the media in many different ways. These particular ways tend to encourage negative stereotypes about African American women. Not only does television promote negative stereotypes, but it also promotes racial stereotypes as well. African American women portrayals on television, not only affect black women as a whole, but it also affects the image as well. The different ways media represent the African American women affects the way society views them. There are many different stereotypes of African American women found on television, such as, mammy, jezebels, or ghetto. These representations, not only make the African American woman look bad, but it also promotes the wrong example. These images were also created to empower the black women. Many African American women have been given roles within television that affects the way society idealizes them. These particular roles not only affect the individual’s character, but it also has an effect on the audience. Certain television shows tend to influence the audience to think as if all
It is important for the viewers to understand that everything on television should not be taken seriously. Because television continues to promote these particular images of African American women, viewers would perceive that these images are the actual personalities of black women. According to Ford (1997), individuals who are exposed to negative stereotypes on television are more incline to make negative remarks about African American women. The portrayals of the African American woman not only influence other races perception, but it influences the African American race perception as