Stereotypes Of Black People Essay

Historically, marginalized people have been misrepresented and overlooked in the media in a variety of ways, creating racial divides that would last for many years. Throughout television history, programs have broadcast negative depictions of different ethnic groups and racial personas, heavily influencing the perceptions of these people. Not only have these groups of people been misrepresented but they’ve been portrayed so wrongfully that their identity has been completely erased. Of these ethnic groups, black people are one of the most stereotyped, resulting in detrimental effects for generations to come. Throughout television history, black people have faced monumental obstacles and have been discredited for decades. During the late 19th century, entertainment consisted of white actors using makeup to represent a black person for comedic effect. The practice gained popularity for several years, contributing to the proliferation of racial stigmas that would last until the mid 20th century. Compared to the obvious racism portrayed in these shows, modern day television programming portrays black people through subtle stereotypes, subliminally offending them in several ways. Pop culture also plays a tremendous role in promoting the public’s attitude towards black people, often through a negative light. In recent television programs,
There need to be more shows that involve leading roles played by black actors, more influential roles that shed a positive light on black people. They need to be given the same opportunities as so many other people receive on a daily basis. Closing the gap that has been established towards them is so pivotal when striving for an end to these types of issues. Once we incorporate a positive atmosphere for black actors to thrive in they’re then given a fairer playing field to work