Race and Media

As a product of racism myself I am proud to say that I have seen an improvement in the way the African American culture has been portrayed on television. When I look back shows like "The Cosby's" and "Fresh Prince of Bel-air" provided a refreshing view of the usual portrayal of poor black families living in the hood. These shows were about dispelling some of those stereotypes and replacing them with positive images. For me it was a new goal, something better to look forward to. The text states, "the increasing visibility of entertainers of color, the supposed changes in artists' possibilities, and the adoration America has for Denzel Washington, Jay-Z , Halle Berry, and Will Smith are posited as evidence of racial progress an color blindness( Media Literacy pp. 199). Obama holding one of the highest positions in the world as a black man is self evident in the progress that has been made. Like the Cosby family, African American families who are typically bombarded with images of fatherless homes, Obama although a product of this stereotype allows us to recognize that our past makes no excuses for striving for a better tomorrow. One reality show that I am particularly impressed with is "Baldwin Hills" their opening line for the show is "Not all black people live in the ghetto; some of us are the children of successful lawyers, doctors, actors and athletes". I find this opening statement to be empowering because it portrays a more positive image for African Americans. This show stems from the popular reality show "The Hills" where young white females from wealthy families are often the model for success. In this program you rarely see people of minority groups and this is evident of society’s view of culture and success.


Although this might be a small percentage of blacks, negative images of hustlers, drug dealers, single mothers and rappers are not all the black community has to offer and a continuous portrayal of these although true images just continues to perpetuate the cycle. I believe that when youth see "Grey's Anatomy" and "ER" with young black doctors they begin to broaden their horizons and therefore these limited expectations become excuses of the past.