Many of the degrading Black stereotypes that exist today were created during the height of the Transatlantic Slave Trade, with the intent of dehumanizing the Black individual and justifying slavery. Since then, dangerous and pervasive Black stereotypes have been reinforced by popular forms of American media and entertainment. For example, minstrel shows that idealized slavery and plantation life were extremely popular during the nineteenth and twentieth century.[1] In these theatrical performances, white actors performed skits, dances, and musical numbers in blackface, that represented Black people as lazy, dim-witted, submissive, and animalistic.
Not only have racist stereotypes created a negative perception of Black people, but they have also played a role in damaging Black self-worth.[2] As a result, Black artists felt the responsibility to not only combat these destructive images, but to also use their art to promote images of racial pride. The New Negro Movement in the 1920s, for example, sought to utilize art to promote a “renewed sense of racial pride, cultural self-expression, economic independence, and progressive politics.”[3] Needs a Chicago-style citation. The Black Arts Movement (c. 1965-1975) was also responsible for producing music, literature, and visual art that corrected the tainted image of Black people, prompting a renewed sense of cultural pride. Although Black artists utilized various art forms to combat racist stereotypes, murals were often the most effective.
Murals allow artists to reach a wide audience and to effectively communicate their views on important social issues. For that reason, many artists have opted for this artform to confront some of society’s most prevalent black stereotypes. One Los Angeles mural that effectively addresses a common Black stereotype is titled
African American Careers (fig. 1). The mural, created in 1991, illustrates Black individuals working in various professions that have historically been held by White people. For example, the mural contains illustrations of a Black astronaut, scientist, and photographer. The mural challenges the notion that Black people are inferior, and it conveys the idea that Black people are just as capable of achieving success as anyone else.
Another mural that combats a pervasive Black stereotype is
Women Get Weary But They Don't Give Up (fig. 2), by LA muralist Alice Patrick. In this 1991 mural, Patrick displays images of notable African American women such as Mary Bethune, Dorothy Height, Oprah Winfrey, and Josephine Baker. Patrick’s depictions of self-made and successful Black women work to counteract the “welfare queen” trope. The welfare queen was a term coined in 1974 to describe a single mother who relies on government benefits.[4] The welfare queen was one of many stereotypes attributed to Black women throughout history, and it characterized Black women as lazy individuals who do not want to work for themselves. Patrick also dresses the women in elegant clothing and sits them upright on a bench in a manner that exudes their distinguished stature. While Black women have often been relegated to secondary or submissive roles, in this mural the women take center stage.
Mister Alek’s
Unity (fig. 3) works to defy society’s expectations of contemporary Black women. The mural depicts the 22 year old Amanda Gorman reading her original poem titled
The Hill We Climb at President Biden’s 2021 inauguration.[5] Gorman, who was raised by a single mother, became the Youth Poet Laureate of Los Angeles at the age of 16, and in 2021, she became the youngest poet to ever perform at a presidential inauguration. Not only are murals including
Unity a source of inspiration for Black youth, but they also cause viewers to question their previously formed perceptions.
Notes
1. Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Minstrel show." Encyclopedia Britannica, September 2, 2020. https://www.britannica.com/art/minstrel-show.
2. “Popular and Pervasive Stereotypes of African Americans.” National Museum of African American History and Culture, 19 July 2019, nmaahc.si.edu/blog-post/popular-and-pervasive-stereotypes-african-americans.
3. Naacp, and National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. “NAACP: A Century in the Fight for Freedom The New Negro Movement.” The New Negro Movement - NAACP: A Century in the Fight for Freedom | Exhibitions - Library of Congress, 21 Feb. 2009, www.loc.gov/exhibits/naacp/the-new-negro-movement.html.
4. “Negative Racial Stereotypes and Their Effect on Attitudes Toward African-Americans.” Negative Racial Stereotypes and Their Effect on Attitudes Toward African-Americans - Scholarly Essays - Jim Crow Museum - Ferris State University. Ferris State University. Accessed May 20, 2021. http://www.ferris.edu/htmls/news/jimcrow/links/essays/vcu.htm
5. Brian, Blueskye. “Amanda Gorman Mural Pops up in Palm Springs, Honoring Viral Inaugural Poet.” The Desert Sun. Palm Springs Desert Sun, March 4, 2021. https://www.desertsun.com/story/life/2021/03/04/amanda-gorman-mural-pops-up-palm-springs-honoring-viral-inaugural-poet/4578184001.
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