Frank Rudy Cooper.

Against Bipolar Black Masculinity:

Intersectionality, Assimilation, Identity Performance, and Hierarchy.
In UC Davis Law Review, Vol. 39 (2006), p. 853.

In this theory source, Cooper proposes his theory about bipolar black masculinity, where the
American media heavily uses presentations of the Good Black Man and Bad Black Man in order to
show African American men. The Good Black Man is disconnected from his black community,
something very alike Uncle Tom, and he tries to get accepted by the white people.

On the other hand the Bad Black Man is very aggressive, sexually oriented and prone to crime, and
can be seen as a threat to white women. This kind of dual presentation is deeply set in the early
silent films but of course it is non the less still present in modern media. The main reason for the
existence of bipolar black masculinity is the very fact that it provides for the resolve of white
mainstream's post-civil rights anxiety. This kind of anxiety comes from the conflict between the
nation's new determination that some black men want to be included in the mainstream and its
longer-standing and ongoing belief that the majority of black men should not be included. Bipolar
black masculinity refers to that anxiety by clearly demarcating which black men merit inclusion only those who fit the assimilation ideal. Bipolar presentations do justice to the status quo situation
of the exclusion of most black men into jail or the lower-classes and the inclusion of only a token
few white-acting black men into the mainstream.

Frank Rudy Cooper. Our First Unisex President?: Black Masculinity

and Obamas Feminine Side. In Denver University Law Review, Vol. 86
(2009), pp. 633-661.

Cooper looks into Barack Obamas demonstration of a more feminine demeanor during his 2008
presidential campaign. Cooper talks about a theory of bipolar black masculinity that has been
made out of the concept of the Bad Black Man and the Good Black Man.

He says that since there is a strong association between blackness and masculinity, Obama
experienced a risk of not being popular if he asserted his race or asserted his masculinity.

Thus, in order to be more racially appealing to the American people, he adopted a sort of a unisex
demeanor by not showing aggression, which in terms of black masculinity may and can be
interpreted as a case of hyper-masculinity.

Jeffrey P. Dennis. Gazing at the black teen: con artists, cyborgs and sycophants. InMedia,
Culture & Society, Vol. 31, No. 2 (March 2009), pp. 179-195.

Dennis sets on to analyze very common themes of representation of black males in 26 modern
television programs. Based on these analyses. Dennis proposes that producers are attemtping to
avoid such common stereotypes of aggressive or powerful individuals that are more common to be
found in media aimed at the adult viewers.

Dennis also continues to discuss that the concept of simultaneous whiteness is shown as a norm and
standard, because most narrators and main characters in the programs were white.

Abby L. Ferber. The Construction of Black Masculinity: White Supremacy Now and Then.
In Journal of Sport & Social Issues, Vol. 31, No. 1 (Feb 2007), pp. 11-21.

Here Ferber discusses presentations of black men set in the modern professional sports. She argues
that black male bodies are experiencing a rising trend of admiration and commodity through their
athleticism and that the general population's focus on their bodies simply strengthens the traditional
stereotype of black males as aggressive.

Ferber also goes on to argue about the medias emphasis on black male athletes being charged with
sexual violence. Black male bodies are increasingly admired and commodified, in rap, hip hop, and
certain sports, such as basketball, but at the same time they continue to be used to invoke fear.

Byron Hurt. Hip Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes (2006).

Hurts documentary goes in to resereach the modern presentations of masculinity shown in the hip
hop industry. He actually manages to interview famous famous rappers, aspiring rappers, and
scholars who have vast knowledge of African American culture in order to show the pressures that
are experienced by black male rappers and show that as a result of their expressing aggressive,
intimidating personalities.

Hurt builds on the images of famous hip hop artists, who in their due course of time have earned the
stamp of masculinity, either thorough their looks (having muscular bodies and presenting
themselves as dangerous) or through their acts in society (being involved in public disputes,
misdemeanor, acts of unacceptable conduct).

Mark P. Orbe. Constructions of reality on MTVs The Real World: An analysis of the
restrictive coding of Black Masculinity. In Southern Communcation Journal, Vol. 64, No. 1
(1998), pp. 32-47.

Orbe explores African American male cast members from the first six seasons of MTVs popular
reality television program, The Real World. He chooses three specific cast members who are most
present Most Dangerous moments television special and discusses the characteristics of these
men that producers and creators are exposing to the general public.

Orbe provides a variety of examples of such interactions as he argues that contemporary media
singularizes the experiences of black men in American and perpetuates longstanding stereotypes.