Explore the Ways in Which the Representation of Black

men Has Changed since the 1600s to Present Day

My thesis focuses on the
characters, particularly
present day. In order to
changes, I will be using
examples.

changes in representation of black

males in film from the 1900s to
successfully convey and present the
social, political and cultural

The 1600s era was the time period where black people first
began to be labelled as slaves, being purchased and sold for
labour, specifically in the United States. During this time,
black people were collectively viewed at the lowest point of
the social hierarchy. This was proved through the way in which
the Caucasian race treated them, as black people of all ages
were whipped, beaten, abused and treated as outsiders and
unequal. Black people were captures in countries such as
Africa and forcibly transported across the Atlantic in slave
ships, where they were enslaved by white males and
occasionally women.1 The slaves had no say in what task they
were required to fulfil as well as no control in the length of
their working day or the conditions that they worked in.
Slavery began in the United States in 1619, and was ended by
being deemed as illegal in 1865. Slaves were especially used
for their strong physique and ability to life heavy objects 2.
The Fox Searchlight film, 12 Years a Slave (2012, Steve
McQueen) presents black people towards the audience as
servants to society and of an ethnic minority. This was an
exact replica of how black people were represented at the time
the film was set (1841-1853). This harsh time period was
illustrated through the main character, Solomon Northup
(Chiwetel Ejiofor) as the film goes through his journey within
the slave trade, obeying orders from slave masters and
fighting for survival.
Solomon is represented as an obedient and undervalued man, a
replica of a man who shares the same traits of AfricanAmerican slave. This is a prime example of how the black race
was depicted during the era of slavery. The trait of having
1 http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/english_literature/
prosemockingbird/0prose_mockingbird_contrev2.shtml
2 http://www.historyonthenet.com/slave_trade/work.htm

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black skin was negatively looked upon and belittled in society

due to the fact that they were seen as different. During
this era, difference was seen as a threat. Therefore to
prevent any outbursts, the black race was enslaved. This was
also seen as an opportunity to gain free labour for the
Caucasian race.
A key scenario that supports the theory of black people being
unfairly treated is present in 12 Years a Save where Solomon
is abused by a slave guard during his imprisonment, shortly
after becoming captured. The guard says, Youre just a
runaway nigger from Georgia, as he brutally whips and attacks
Solomon for no apparent reason other than to assert dominance
in relation to skin colour. Rather than reasoning with him and
attempting to explain the situation
to Solomon, he acts in an aggressive
manner towards him because he is
different and depicted as of a lower
important in comparison to the rest
of the Caucasian society and race.
Overall, this connotes the idea that
black people during the slavery era (from the 1600s to 1865)
were treated in a discriminative manner due to the colour of
their skin.
Also during the time in which the film was set, Solomon
involves himself in a physical fight with one of the slave
masters, Tibeats. This instantly provides the audience with a
mirror image of black people as Solomon fights back the
injustice of the system. Slavery is also mentioned in the
bible. It states that You may purchase male or female slaves
from among the foreigners who live among you. You may also
purchase the children of such resident foreigners, including
those who have been born in your land. You may treat them as
your property, passing them on to your children as a permanent
inheritance.3 This supports my thesis of black slaves being
treated in an undervalued manner, represented as powerless,
treated like worthless objects and being overpowered by the
Caucasian race. Solomon disarms Tibeats during the tussle. The
battle represents Solomons character as a strong and powerful
individual.
Black people were purposely made to feel as outliers for the
obvious difference of skin colour. They were labelled through
3 http://www.evilbible.com/Slavery.htm

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the use of the word Nigger, which discriminates black people

to nothing but slaves and servants to society. The word is
used many times throughout the duration of the film and is
used by everyone, including the slaves themselves. This
suggests that they had been brainwashed into thinking they are
the equivalent of dirt upon someones shoe, depicting them as
having no value.
The various acts that led to the abolishment of slavery, such
as the famous story of Rosa Parks in 1955 changed the way that
the black race collectively as a whole were represented in the
real world as well as in film from the 1970s onwards. This
was during the post-slavery era where black people began to
stereotypically become associated with negative thoughts and
events. Society began to create stereotypes for the black
race, most of which were negative and offensive. For example,
the black race was seen as violent animals that could not be
controlled, hence still seen as a threat. Boyz N The Hood
(1991 John Singleton) is a prime example of the change in
representation of black people, primarily males. Black
characters in film then and now are pictured and violent,
disorderly and reckless. This is clearly illustrated through
the narrative of a gang/turf war between The Bloods and The
Crips that is present throughout the entire film. The members
of the separate gangs are all part of the black race but are
recognised apart from clothing colours. In this instance, The
Bloods wear the colour red, whilst The Crips are associated
with the colour blue which implies a negative conflict.

The film is a portrayal of the gang wars that began to occur

in the 1970s. The film is located in a ghetto in Los Angeles,
implying that although the location and environment of black
people has improved since the days of slavery, it is still
below the desired and expected standard in comparison to the
Caucasian race. When we compare the film to 12 Years a Slave,
its shows us how the representation of black people has
changed from when black people were enslaved. Primarily, they
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were seen as outsiders, and made fully aware of it for the

worst. However, the post-slavery era saw the representation of
the black race turn more violent through the use of gang
culture and dangerous weaponry such as knives and guns. The
comparison also presents how the black race have become more
independent as they have collectively begun to fend for
themselves, letting out their aggressive personality as if
society owed them a favour in return for their mistreating
from back in the days of slavery. The representation of the
black race in film was also taken from rap music from that
time period (the 1970-1990s) with groups such as Niggaz With
Attitudes. The name itself signifies a negative image towards
the society which could potentially raise conflict and cause
problems.
The violent behaviour that appears to have developed from gang
culture, was a large factor that contributed to the negative
social and collective image of the black culture/ethnicity.
The recovery from slavery meant that black people were new to
independency and freedom. There-fore, in an attempt to change
to representation and also to avoid slavery from re-occurring
to the black race, black people became reckless and violent as
a warning to society as a force not to be messed with. This is
a presentation of a clear binary opposite in the conflict
between the Caucasian and Black race. The change in behaviour
and representation of the Black race could also suggest a
countertype in society at this time period, as Black people
were seen as weak and powerless in the days of slavery,
whereas after the slave era they turned into a more dominant
force and became more threatening to society which was
abnormal at the time. This is displayed throughout Boyz N The
Hood, where violence is used to strike fear into the
opposition in order to assert mental and physical dominance.
The gang rivalry was a battle for turf reputation and respect.
This is illustrated towards the audience in confrontation
between The Bloods and The Crips at a local street racing
gathering as Doughboy (From The Crips) lifts his jump,
brandishing a gun as he says, We got a problem here? We got a
problem, nigga? The use of repetition, his aggressive tone
and the weapon suggests he is asserting his dominance in the
situation, showing he has no fear. Also, the use of the word
Nigga links back in relation to the days of slavery where
the word was originated. This suggests that the word was used
a sign of brother-ship, even taking into consideration the
characters are a part of opposing gangs. The facial
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expressions of the characters, mean, threatening looks support

the hatred, anger and aggressiveness of how black people were
represented in the post-slavery era, as they battled for
respect.
If we move further down the timeline, we can see that the
attitudes and representation of the black race have worsened,
coming into the 20th Century. The film Attack The Block (2011,
Joe Cornish). The film is a clear presentation of how the
representation of the black race has spread to the younger
ages throughout the generations. The group of friends consist
mainly of the black race, with the exception of one Caucasian
male. The friends are involved with violent acts throughout
the duration of the production and are perceived as part of a
gang due to their living conditions. Much like Boyz N The Hood
the characters live in a run-down area (an estate) that is
below the normal expectation. The film is proof of how black
teenagers in todays society are being stereotyped and
prejudged negatively based on the colour of their skin. The
movie took this as a subject to base its characters on in
order to create realism, as this is now what is to be expected
to be present in partnership with the characters and the
location. If we compare Attack The Block to 12 Years a Slave
it is clear that the negative stereotypes of the black race
from slavery times to current has changed hugely. Age has now
become a huge factor in the magnitude of degrading that
occurs. As stories about black teenagers (specifically males)
are carrying weapons when roaming the streets, the social
opinion on the black worsens as the media particularly
highlights it through mediums such as the Newspapers and
National Television. This has lead to hugely negative
stereotypes being placed upon the black race.
There are many scenes (for example, when the teenagers are
preparing to battle the foreign creature, entering their
houses and suiting up with weapons and armoury) within the
film that clearly show the characters conforming to the
stereotypes of the Black race being disapprovingly portrayed.
In particular, the scene where the woman is being robbed by
the youths represents the black race as violent and dangerous
through the use of the knife. The woman feels intimidated, as
the boys are masked and dangerous. This scene is a common
example of how the violence used in previous years (1970s) has
transformed into something more dangerous, influencing the 20th

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Century generation to follow their acts, only in a more

escalated manner at a younger stage of life.
The narrative theory of Levi Strauss and his idea of binary
opposites is present in all of the films I have studied. The
theme of White/Caucasian versus Black and good versus evil is
clearly presented throughout the productions. In todays
society, slave masters were looked upon as cruel and unfair.
However, in the era of slavery (1600s-1865) the idea of
slavery was seen as acceptable to society as though it was a
natural way of life, which is a clear sign of how much things
have changed. The white race during this era was the more
dominant force in societys eye. This was clear as slave
masters were known to own their black slaves, which tells us
that the black race was looked upon as worthless back in those
times. However, in todays society, the stereotype of good
versus evil is still present, but in opposing force. Due to
the poor and pessimistic representation of the black race, the
black race is now seen as the ultimate antagonist. This is
presented worldwide through almost every film ever made. In
the majority of films produced, the antagonist is almost
always a black male. Since this has become so common in
todays era, we have sub-consciously become accustomed to it,
accepting it without thought. This proves how easily the media
can influence people to believe certain things and portrays
the negative impact that it can have on the world as a whole.
This is also an obvious example of ethnic disadvantage and
minority. Firstly, the black race were known to be commonly
enslaved, trapped under the control of the white race. When
they were finally free and viewed as individuals that were
equal in society, they were treated negatively and looked
down upon as a threat. On the other hand, it is argued that
racial hatred has been abolished from society and that it is
nothing but meaningless stereotypes. However, when we look at
real world stories such as police officers shooting members of
the black race, it puts the subject of world racism in
jeopardy.
Collectively, this implies that mediation has played a large
role in the representation of the black race, as it can have a
large influence upon the way somebody views a particular
thing. Although this appears to be present more than ever in
todays era, it has been slowly progressing from the early
stages of proliferation of media to become what it has today.
For instance, in Boyz N The Hood, the two rival gangs The

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Blood and The Crips were known worldwide even though they were
based in the United States. This Implies that this played a
huge role in the negative first impression and opinion on the
black race, as people brainwashed by the media would instantly
associate gang violence with the black race. This could be a
key theory that led to the degrading of the black race,
including factors such as racism. Even in todays society,
although slavery is less frequent and everyone is said to be
seen as equal we still see obvious examples of degrading
through the use of hidden messages within media such as common
stereotypes. This is present within Kidulthood (2006 Menhaj
Huda). Within the film, it portrays how the original attitudes
of black characters (violent, negative and intimidating) have
influenced other races and cultures. This labels the black
race as the ringleaders of this behaviour, which suggests a
reason as to why these particular stereotypes of negativity
exist.
A common factor that these films share is the genre. All of
the films studied are of the crime genre. If we look at other
productions that are in the genre of crime such as Beef (2003
Peter Spirer) we can see that black people are naturally
associated with violence stereotypically through media which
highly influenced its audience into bringing the ideologies
from the film and applying them to real world phenomenon. This
is a clear signal that racial inequalities exist, as black
people are classed in a certain category, lower down in the
social hierarchy. In todays society, we have been brainwashed
and influenced by the media that white people are associated
with wealth and riches, whereas black people are linked with
violence, crime and negative ideologies. These negative
representations and social opinions have also led to
discrimination in replacement of slavery. Physical harm has
been substituted for mental harm through the use of racial
slurs and comments such as the use of the word Nigger.
Although not every person is like this, almost everyone still
has doubts or second thoughts about a person due to the colour
of their skin, and that is down to falsely generated
stereotypes that the world has become to believe to be true.
In conclusion, we can see the change in representation of the
black race from historic films to contemporary. After deep
analysis of my case study films, it is clear how the
representation has changed due to a number of factors, mainly
including slavery. From the era of slavery to now (the 20th

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Century) we can see how black people have evolved from the
times where they were once owned and force to work for the
white race, whilst constantly being abused and attacked.
Comparing those times to the present, we can see that the
general media has played one of the biggest role in the change
overall representation as a race of black people. This has
lead to particular views and somewhat racial opinions. The
negativity of the black race that has been presented through
media into the real world has cause many arguments and caused
many conflicts between people of different races and cultures.
As long as the media (including films) continue to present
these stereotypes and send these mental images and hidden
texts, this issue of the black race being portrayed negatively
and being at a disadvantage will never end. The proliferation
of social media also doesnt help the situation, as it is
constantly being discussed, highlighting all of the
negativity, instead of trying to limit it. I believe that the
production of films lead to the discrimination of the black
race that is present in todays day and age. This was due to
the representation of characters within these productions.
Word count: 2976
Bibliography
Boyz N The Hood (John Singleton 1951)
Kidulthood (Menhaj Huda 2006)
12 Years a Slave (Steve McQueen 2012)
My Murder (Bruce Goodison 2012)
Beef (Peter Spirer 2003)
Top-Boy (Ronan Bennett 2011)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0435680/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boyz_n_the_Hood
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101507/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uIauoMugTw
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/12_Years_a_Slave_(film)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2024544/
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2201131/
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0361354/
Why Did Black People Become Slaves:
https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?
qid=20080625134019AAxnEks
What Did Slaves Have To Do:
https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?
qid=20081031111542AAysf8a

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