AMH2097- Exam #2 Notes & Key TermsLecture #4: History of African Americans in Film (Thurs Feb 14st): History: Before Film•Minstrel Showso Jim Crow- animal like man people make fun of. He’s a character whites go & seeo Blackface: most minstrel shows are whites dressed up in a stereotypical way acting like a fool (Whites would cover themselves in paint/tar & act like monkeys)o Hearts & Flags (1911)- First time you see African American in filmo Birth of a Nation (1915): 3 hour silent movie, about what should have happened in Civil War. World fell apart (about rise of the KKK)o Lost Cause films- the idea that the Old South was a wonderful beautiful place where everyone was happy. About how perfect plantations were and white life was. Idea that every slave was a happy slave. Only benefits whites who think that back in the day their grandparents owned thousands of slaves Always about slaves being happy slavesAfr. American Stereotypes in Film (5 Main Stereotypes of African Americans seen in film 1910 - ???) •1. Uncle Tom: older man, he loves being a slave & loves his white family.o Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1852): her book is the first time slaves are given a voice & slavery seems bad. However, Uncle Tom is a stereotypical character & really does love family & seen as a grandfather figure (b/c he’s seen as not sexual).•2. Mammy: older women, seen as non sexual, Uncle Tom’s counterpart.o Very happy slave, house slave that takes care of children & seen as overweight and not attractive (Aunt Jemima, the help, etc.)o Gone with the Wind (1939)- most famous Mammyo Aunt Jemima: now her character changed & is skinny & lighter skino The Help- celebrates the idea of mammy (dark skinned, works for rich white, overweight)•3. Sambo (Coon)o Always seen eating fried chicken/watermelon & with a banjo. Now replaced character of “Jim Crow”o Dark skinned, big lips, crazy fro hairo The Story of Little Black Sambo by Helen Bannermano Jar Jar Binks from Star Wars (resembles him)•4. Black Brut (or Buck or “Mandingo Negro”)o Sexual- nymphomaniac that needs to have sex with white womeno Link to which stereotypes? Sexuality, Savagery, Animalityo Portrayed with a huge junk (White guy w/ black paint & tries to catch white virgin women)•5. Jezebel- Female version of black brut. Uses her sexuality to her benefit (better wages, better position)o Uses sexuality towards white men. Reinforcing sexuality stereotype & shows that that’s how black women get ahead (no brains) Another View: “Race Films” 1910- 1930s• African Americans who produce, direct, and act in the films. Use it to their advantage. Films show Afri. Am.’s as people (Come out at the same time as blackface films)• The Lincoln Motion Picture Company• Oscar Micheaux1960’s• Link to Civil Rights: becoming very successful in 60’s. Laws started passing for them to vote & be citizens again• Gordon Parks- one of the best directors in 1960s doing any type of films. Different from race films b/c they are doing mainstream films being produced by white film companies. Afr. Am.’s are starting to be in regular roles!• Sidney Poiter- is in several most important roles that show change in Afr. Am. status. 1st time there’s a miscegenation on screen (he marries a white girl). Film came out in 1968 (In 1968 we ended the law that outlawed miscegenation. o In Heat of the Night film: he tells people what to do. Wins award for Lilies of the Field (best actor). 1st one to win in this category. Next person that wins is Denzel Washington (2005ish)1970s• Blaxploitation: Afr. Am’s take the stereotypes & they play on them and make them into a joke/satire (Shaft, the Black Godfather, Foxy Brown)o Use stereotypes to prove how stupid they are (funny). Not too popular w/ whites. Afr. Am’s produced themo Black Power: being proud to be an Afr. Am., not just accepting it. Back to Africa movement- learning where your roots comes from. Dressing & celebrating that they are Afr. Am. o It’s a militant movement- Malcolm X is opposite of Martin Luther King Jr. Black power is about being militanto Black panther party: Afr. Am’s w/ machine guns. Scared white peopleo Roots- Alex Haley wrote the book (he was involved in black power movement)New Stereotypes:• 1. “Deviant, Radical & Righteous”: Malcolm X. They tend to celebrate violent side. We see the black power that scares whites.• 2. “Drug Lords, Crack Victims, Evil”: Afr. Am’s being involved w/ the drug culture. Person who sells drugs to nice white children. Evil: idea of evil. They are always doing something wrong. Evil is associated with blackness. • 3. “Welfare Queen and/or Gold Digger”: Fat black woman living off of the government (white man). Gold digger: what Jezebel is. She goes after someone for their money.• 4. “Sapphire”- “Angry, Independent Black Woman”: B/c she has no man, she’s angry. Women showing power must be miserable and angry. Links to: idea of women in African having power. Needs to get laid by nice white man. Lecture #5: Immigration from Ireland (Thurs. Feb 14)- They are seen as black on the inside & absolutely hated by WASPs.Quick History of Irish/ English RelationsPush Factor: Problems with England• 1169: Norman Invasion of Ireland: militarily occupy Ireland. Rape and burn down villages. Once England militarily left, Ireland went back and did what they wanted.• Henry VIII, “Re- conquest” of Ireland, 1536- first successful reconquer. Leaves military there so that Irish lose culture & religion. Henry VIII outlaws Catholicism & makes all Irish culture illegal (Forced assimilation with guns)o They still practice everything in secret. Things start to fall apart. • James I and the Plantation System: feels like the best way is to take their money to break their willo He starts to little by little militarily take their lando “Plantation of Ulster”- a series of plantations. Starts in Ulster (Northern Ireland). Scottish are Protestant. Take land, put sheep on it to produce wool.o UlsterScots- paid mercenaries that are people from Scotland. James I pays them to take over & promises to turn over land to them. Eventually take it over & form plantations.o Need more land/ less workers- because only need like 2 workers for all the sheep. Now Irish need somewhere to live… • Tenant Farmers- “Irish Slavery” (Basically sharecropping)o Renting land that may have been owned by you. Irish can’t leave
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