Derrik Horman Alexander Langshall Film and Culture 18 April 2014 Final Essay Diversity of a Culture in Society and

Films A ri!an Ameri!ans ha"e #een oppressed #y #oth so!iety and in mo"ies$ %ost A ri!an

Horman1

Ameri!ans ha"e #een taken rom their o&n !ountry and sold into sla"ery$ 'hey &ere treated horri#ly #y their sla"e o&ners and had to li"e and &ork in un#eara#le !onditions$ A ter sla"ery( they &ere still segregated rom the rest o so!iety$ )ot until indi"iduals stood up( rallied others and ga"e their !ulture a "oi!e &ere #la!ks o ered any e*uality$ 'he same prini!ple applies to the ilming industry$ +tarting out in the early 1,00-s( A ri!an.Ameri!ans &ere mo!ked and mistreated$ 'he &hite dominate entertainment industry ga"e the A ri!an.Ameri!an !ulture a #ad reputation #y mis!onstruing the truth o their li estyle into myth and stereotypes$ A nation o people &ere or!e ully taken rom their o&n !ountry and #rought to Ameri!a( /the land o the ree and home o the #ra"e0( and had to ight or their pla!e in so!iety$ 'he topi! o sla"ery and segregation is &ell kno&n in Ameri!an history$ A!!ording to A ri!an. Ameri!an history on the &e#site &&&$a#out$!om( /historians normally date the start o sla"ery in the )orth Ameri!an !olonies to 111,$0 +in!e the #eginning o sla"ery the #la!k people ha"e #een treated as property or e"en less e*ual than animals$ 'his type o treatment !ontinued until the Eman!ipation 2ro!lamation &as deli"ered #y A#raham Lin!oln in 1813$ 'he amous spee!h deli"ered on this day stated( /that all persons held as sla"es are( and hen!e or&ard shall #e ree0 4&&&$ar!hi"es$go"5$ E"en a ter the announ!ement o reedom( the mistreatment o the #la!k !ulture did not end and !ontinued into the 20th !entury$ 'he segregation rom so!iety this !ulture had to endure &as insu era#le$ A ri!an.Ameri!ans &ere restri!ted to spe!i i! areas o residen!e outside o the

Horman2 !ommunity$ 'hey had separate s!hools( !hur!hes( restaurants( restrooms and e"en drinking ountains$ 6hen !ompared to the mistreatment that #la!ks had to endure in so!iety( the entertainment industry is not ar o the mark$ During the ante#ellum or pre.Ci"il &ar period o time( the minstrel sho& &as a "ery popular orm o entertainment$ %instrel sho&s &ere a stage a!t o singing and dan!ing( #ut the a!tors &ere &hite done up in make.up to look #la!k$ /7la!k a!e0 4Ameri!a on Film 8,5 is the term used &hen this style o a!ting is #eing used$ 'he &hite person has his a!e made up in makeup that gi"es the impression that he is #la!k$ Ho&e"er( the a!tor playing the #la!k person does not portray the !hara!ter as a !i"ili9ed or intelligent indi"idual( #ut rather rom a demeaning perspe!ti"e$ 7la!k a!e and the minstrel sho& !ontri#uted to /the &hite man-s misguided per!eption o &hat #la!k li"es &ere a!tually like0 4Ameri!a on Film 8,5$ 'he mo"ie The Birth of a Nation ,released in 1,1:( is an example o ho& A ri!an.Ameri!ans &ere treated &ith ine*uality$ 'he t&o main !hara!ters( +ilas and ;us( &ere done in #la!k a!e and those !ast mem#ers &ho &ere a!tually #la!k &ere in the #a!kground o the mo"ie as extras$ +ilas &as a man &ho lusted a ter &hite &omen and ;us &as the /#la!k #u!k0 4Ameri!a on Film 8,5 !hara!ter &ho !hased a &oman through the &oods until she !ommitted sui!ide to prote!t her "irtue$ )ext( the t&o main settings o the mo"ie( &hi!h &ere o!!upied #y kind( pea!e ul &hites( &ere am#ushed and mo##ed #y the A ri!an.Ameri!an extras$ The Birth of a Nation #olstered the pre"ious mis!on!eption o the #la!k !ulture #eing unintelligent and happy( to "iolent and mo#.like &ith little regard or the la&$ During the !lassi!al Holly&ood !inema period o the 1,30-s.1,40-s( A ri!an Ameri!ans &ere still shunted aside as minor !hara!ters$ /<ne o the reasons Holly&ood kept A ri!an Ameri!an a!tors in smaller( supporting roles &as so that pre=udi!ed audien!es &ould not ha"e to &at!h an entire mo"ie a#out a )egro( or &orse yet( see a #la!k !hara!ter &ho &as smart( strong( and independent0 4Ameri!a on Film 835$ A great example o an ex!ellent a!tor( singer( dan!er not playing any ma=or roles &as 7ill /7o=angles0 >o#inson$ A!!ording to Fred Astaire( 7ill &as the greatest dan!er o all time$ 7ut due to

Horman3 2rodu!tion Code mandate( mis!egenation or a relationship o people rom di erent ra!es( &as stri!tly prohi#ited$ 'here ore( %r$ >o#inson al&ays had to play a minor !hara!ter su!h as a #utler or a ser"ant$ He &as a#le to dan!e &ith the "ery young +hirley 'emple #e!ause /this adult.!hild dan!e !ouple &as -sa e- and ino ensi"e0 4Ameri!a on Film 845$ %artin Luther ?ing @r$( &as and is a "ery amous ad"o!ate &ho ought to gain e*uality or the A ri!an.Ameri!an people &ithin the Anited +tates$ He &as #orn in 1,2,( gre& up in a regligious en"ironment due to his grand ather and ather &ho &ere #oth pastors or the E#ene9er 7aptist Chur!h$ %artin Luther &as an edu!ated person earning his #a!helor-s degree rom /%orehouse College( a destinguished )egro institution o Atlanta0 4&&&$no#lepri9e$org5$ He !ontinued his edu!ation at a seminary s!hool in 2ennsyl"ania( an institue named Cro9er 'heologi!al +eminary( then enrolled or graduate studies at 7oston Ani"ersity$ %artin Luther &as a#le to !omplete his do!torate degree in 1,:: and a&arded the )o#el 2ea!e 2ri!e at the age o 3:$ His most amous spee!h &as the /B Ha"e a Dream0 spee!h deli"ered in August o 1,13$ %artin Luther deli"ered this spee!h in ront o 2:0(000 o his ello& A ri!an.Ameri!ans during a massi"e mar!h in 6ashington D$C$ He &as later assassinated in 1,18 /&hile standing on the #al!ony o his motel room in %emphis( 'ennessee0 4&&&$no#elpri9e$org5$ 'his spee!h &as the !atalyst o !alling the #la!k so!iety together to gain e*uality &ithin the &hite dominated !ulture$ @ust as the rise o the #la!k !ulture &as happening a!ross the Anited +tates the same e e!t &as #eginning to orm in Holly&ood$ 7laxploitation #e!ame kno&n during the 1,10-s as a ne& genre o mo"ies$ 'hese types o ilms &ere !entered around the exploitation o #la!ks( and &ere dire!ted to&ards appealling to the A ri!an Ameri!an audien!es$ 7laxploitation introdu!ed a ne& !on!ept o opportunities or A ri!an.Ameri!an a!tors and artists in Holly&ood$ Although these mo"ies &ere generally dire!ted #y a &hite male( #la!k a!tors( &riters( and musi!ians &ere a#le to #egin making a name and reputation or themsel"es$ 'hese mo"ies !entered around the traditional gangster( !rime

Horman4 thriller( horror !ategory &hile the leading roles /&ere "iolent( lashy( and !harismati!0 4Ameri!an on Film 885$ 'his ne& !lassi i!ation o ilm did !ome &ith multiple !ontro"ersies$ For example( A ri!an Ameri!an audien!es &ould pay their hard earned dollar to &at!h these mo"ies$ Ho&e"er( in the end( it &as the &hite male dominated entertainment o&ners &ho &ere making the #ig #u!ks$ 'hese mo"ies also had a tremendous amount o "iolen!e( #lood and sex$ 'he protagonist o the mo"ie &as a super. stud type o person( su!h as a /#la!k @ames 7ond0 4Ameri!an on Film 8,5$ 7e!uase o mo"ies su!h as these &ith a sli!k( sua"e lead !hara!ter &ho kills a lot o people and has spontaneous sex( the youth o !ommunities started dressing and a!ting like these i!tional !hara!ters$ An uprising o the Ameri!an people &as !reated and the *uestion o &hat is Holly&ood-s intent &as asked$ 'he )ational Asso!iation or the Ad"an!ement o Colored 2eople *ui!kly ormed a smaller group !alled the Committee Against 7laxploitation$ An ortunately( this group &as dis#anded shorlty therea ter due to the #la!k ilmmaking industry seeking needed employment &ithin these ilms$ 'he era o #laxploitation !ame to a !lose #y the end o the 1,80-s( ho&e"er( mo"ie audien!es &ere a#le to #e!ome amiliar &ith rising Holly&ood stars su!h as( /Ci!ely 'yson( @ames Earl @ones( Diana >oss and 7illy Dee 6illiams0 4Ameri!an on Film 8,5$ >e"$ @esse @a!kson #e!ame kno&n in the pu#li! spotlight during the 1,80-s or !ontinuing the e ort or #la!k !i"il rights$ He en!ouraged #la!ks to #e more in"ol"ed in politi!s and to parti!ipate in greater num#ers #y "oting &hen ele!tions arri"ed$ Bn 1,84( /@a!kson ran or the Demo!rati! nomination or president0 4&&&$history$!om5( #ut &as not a#le to progress any urther a ter the primary ele!tions$ He ran again or president in the 1,88 ele!tion and &as a#le to &in o"er 8 states$ He inished se!ond( #ut on!e again did not ad"an!e into a politi!al o i!e$ Although >e"$ @a!kson has not #een nominated into a politi!al o i!e( he still has a strong in luen!e in the Demo!rati! 2arty$ He has used this guidan!e to /ensure that A ri!an.Ameri!an issues had an important role in the party-s

Horman: plat orm0 4&&&$history$!om5$ 7ill Cos#y and <prah 6in rey &ere t&o o the #iggest names used in the entertainment industry during the 1,80-s$ 7ill Cos#y &as the lead patriar!h in his !omedy series The Cosby Show, &hile <prah #egan her o&n national talk sho& in 1,81 titled The Oprah Winfrey Show$ The Cosby Show &as a#le to rede ine the stereotype o the A ri!an.Ameri!an people$ )o longer &as this !ulture "ie&ed as un!i"ili9ed or "iolent( #ut rather digni ied( edu!ated and demonstating the "alue o !lose amily ties$ <prah &as a#le to dis!uss many di i!ult issues on her sho& and still #e straight or&ard a#out the topi!s$ Her !areer progressed up&ard to o&ning a ilm and tele"ision produ!tion and pu#lishing esta#lishment( and she #e!ame the irst #la!k emale #illionare$ <prah has #een /gi"ing generously to #la!k +outh A ri!ans and to the histori!ally #la!k %orehouse College( among other !auses0 4&&&$history$!om5$ 'he in!ident o the #eating o >odney ?ing in %ar!h 1,,1 shook the A ri!an.Ameri!an !ommunity$ 'he people o East Los Angeles had #een suspi!ious o the ra!ial pro iling and the added a#use #la!ks had su ered #y the poli!e$ 'he our poli!e o i!ers &ho had #eaten >odney ?ing &ere tried in !ourt #y mem#ers o an 11 &hite and 1 Hispani! =ury and ound the o i!ers not guilty$ 'his =udgement !aused a "iolent rea!tion #y the #la!k !iti9ens o East LA$ 'he riots !ontinued or approximately our days$ 7y the time the riots inished( /some :: people &ere dead( more than 2(300 in=ured( and more than 1(000 #uildings had #een #urned0 4&&&$history$!om5$ During the ollo&ing year( t&o out o the our poli!e o i!ers had retired and then &ere !on"i!ted in a ederal !ourt or "iolating >odney ?ing-s !i"il rights$ @ust as >odney ?ing inally re!ie"ed his re&ard o a settlement or 3$8 million dollars( a ne& A ri!an.Ameri!an dir!tor in Holly&ood &as !lim#ing the status ladder$ +pike Lee had learned ilm dire!ting at the )e& Cork Ani"ersity ilm s!hool( &here he dire!ted a :0 minute short( titled Joe's BedStuy Barbershop: We Cut Heads, &hi!h &on him signi i!ant praise$ +pike Lee del"ed into sensiti"e

Horman1 issues !on!erning ra!e and ra!ism$ +ome examples o his &orks in!ludeD /Mo' Better B ue 41,,05( Croo! yn 41,,45( "ir # 41,,15( He "ot "a$e 41,,850 4Ameri!a on Film ,25$ His most amous ilm &as Ma %o $ & 41,,25( &hi!h &as an authoritati"e presentation o the assassinated !i"il rights leader$ 'he de"elopment o his !areer as a mo"ie dire!tor has lead +pike Lee into #e!oming a orerunner or A ri!an.Ameri!an !i"il rights$ An example o this o!!ured &hen 6arner 7rothers &as &illing to take Ma %o $ & rom him due to #eing o"er #udget$ %r$ Lee-s open media reply &as( /&hite dire!tors go o"er #udget all the time &ithout the studio threatening to take their ilms a&ay0 4Ameri!a on Film ,35$ As a result( %r$ Lee &as a#le to !omplete the mo"ie &ithout any urther !ompli!ations$ Colin 2o&ell &as the irst A ri!an.Ameri!an to #e a !hairman o the @oint Chie s o +ta rom

1,8, to 1,,3$ He is a our.star general and played an enourmous role exe!uting the 2ersian ;ul 6ar$ A ter retirement rom the military( he &as nominated #y ;eorge 6$ 7ush as the se!retaty o state in 2001$ <n!e again( he &as the irst A ri!an.Ameri!an to hold a position as Ameri!a-s top diplomat$ He ser"ed &ith 2resident 7ush until his retirement in 2004$ Ho&e"er( Condolee9a >i!e su!!eeded Colin 2o&ell as the irst A ri!an.Ameri!an &oman to ser"e as se!retary o state$ @ust like the rise o the #la!k !ulture had extended into national politi!al o i!e( the rise o #la!k Holly&ood stars had rea!hed a pinna!le$ Bn 2001( at the A!ademy A&ards( t&o A ri!an.Ameri!ans &ere honored &ith top a!ting a&ards( Den9el 6ashington and Halle 7arry &ho &on #est a!tor and a!tress$ 7oth %r$ 6ashington and %s$ 7arry &ere the irst t&o #la!k a!tors to e"er &in these trophies$ 'hese a&ards &ere a#le to start a ne& trend in Holly&ood so!iety$ Finally A ri!an.Ameri!ans &ere getting re!ogni9ed or their dire!ting( &riting( produ!ing( and other ilmmaking a#ilities$ 'he A ri!an.Ameri!an !ulture has !ome a long &ay sin!e the early 1,00-s o mo"ie making$ 'he #la!k mem#ers o so!iety &ere o&ned and sold like !attle during the time o sla"ery$ And e"en a ter&ard( ha"e #een mistreated #y unne!essary segregation$ 'hen a young religious leader &ho &as tired o his !i"il rights #eing in ringed upon stood up and rallied his !ulture into starting the mo"ement

Horman8 o e*uality$ 'his pro!ess o e*uality is re le!ted #oth in the &orld and in mo"ies$ 7la!k leaders ha"e pro"ided a path or the people to ollo&( =ust as #la!k a!tors and dire!tors ha"e stepped up to implement and a ne& promising pu#li! "ie&.point o their !ulture$ E"en no&( in the year 2014( the 2resident o the Anited +tates is A ri!an.Ameri!an$

Works Cited /A ri!an Ameri!an History0$ history'%o$' History Channel$ 2014$ 6e#$ 11 April 2014 /A ri!an Ameri!an +egregation0$ britanni%a'%o$' En!y!lopedia 7ritanni!a$ 2014$ 6e#$ 14 April 2014 7ensho ( Harry %$( and +ean ;ri in$ ($eri%a on fi $: representin) ra%e, % ass, )ender, and se*ua ity at the $o+ies$ 2nd ed$ %alden( %A( A+AD 6iley.7la!k&ell( 200,$ 2rint$ /Eman!ipation 2ro!lamation0$ ar%hi+es')o+$ )ational Ar!hi"es E >e!ords Administration$ 6e#$ 2014$ 14 April 2014 /%artin Luther ?ing0$ nobe pri,e'or)' )o#el 2ri9e$ 2014$ 6e#$ 11 April 2014 /'he +tart o +la"ery in )orth Ameri!a0$ about'%o$' A ri!an.Ameri!an History$ 2014$ 6e#$ 14 April 2014