African-American Representation in US Cinema, Economy and Politics (1980-2010). Myth or Reality?

Thesis (M.A.) , 2010 , 108 Pages , Grade: 15/20

American Studies - Culture and Applied Geography

Whether we are in cinema, economy or politics, there is a great debate concerning the issues of representation in the United States. In fact, it is a permanent debate drawing the attention of people, as it is difficult to assert if a group is well represented. So the question of representation has already and always been debated by university professors and specialists of the issue, and continues to be debated. But some questions are worth asking: at which level can we talk about representation? Or when can we say that a group is actually represented?

These questions lead us to deal with minority representation. Here we want to consider the notion of visibility and invisibility. In the United States there is what we term visible minority and invisible minority. Representation here is not about telling how many African Americans have succeeded in various fields. It is not about the number of Blacks who succeeded in cinema, economy or politics. The issue of representation goes beyond that perception. Of course, it does not imply that the quantity of Blacks advancing socially cannot be taken into account. But the point is that if we look at this, we shall notice that their representation is not that visible. For this reason we find useful to transcend that perception of representation.

Our paper focuses on representation as the fact of being visible in the mainstreams. For instance, concerning minority visibility, can we say that Hispanics and African Americans have the same representation? We do not think so. This is why the notion of visible and invisible minority has to be considered. Representation here is more related to merit. Take for example, the case of the business world, do we know an icon among Hispanics whose visibility is worldwide? Certainly not! However, we have Oprah Winfrey whose fame has reached worldwide as the only Black billionaire. Take also politics with President Obama. And finally, consider American cinema, can we speak about Hispanic or Chinese cinema in the United States today? Certainly not! Yet, we can speak about African American cinema, because it is visible. That is what we have termed as minority visibility.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• • INDEPENDENT FILMMAKERS
  • A BRIEF HISTORY OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN CINEMA
  • Poor Blacks' Presence on the Screen and Blaxploitation
  • The Image of Blacks in Hollywood Films
  • THE 1980S AND 1990s ERAS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN CINEMA
  • The Growing Entrance of Blacks in Films and Hollywood
  • Julie Dash and Charles Burnett
  • Eddie Murphy
  • Spike Lee
• • AFRICAN-AMERICANS IN THE US ECONOMY: BLACK CAPITALISM
  • OBSTACLES TO BLACK BUSINESSES
  • The Problem of Capital and Lending
  • Self-Employed Role Models, Survival Rate and the Lack of Support
  • The Lack of Education and Business Experience
  • BLACK-OWNED CORPORATIONS
  • Black-Owned Businesses and Johnson Publishing Company
  • Oprah Winfrey
  • AFRICAN-AMERICANS AND THE BANKING SECTOR
  • The Situation of Black-Owned Banks and the National Bankers Association
  • The Reality of Black-Owned Banks in today's America
• • AFRICAN-AMERICANS IN POLITICS
  • BLACKS IN ELECTIVE OFFICE
  • Members of Congress
  • Municipal Officials
  • The Bradley Effect
  • BLACK POLITICAL REPRESENTATION AND CHALLENGES
  • Participation Rate
  • The Support of White Voters
  • BLACK MAJOR POLITICIANS
  • Reverend Jesse Jackson
  • Barack Obama

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This research paper aims to explore the representation of African Americans in American cinema, economy, and politics during the period from 1980 to 2010. The paper analyzes the factors contributing to the emergence and visibility of African Americans within these fields, while also addressing the challenges they have faced in achieving full socialization and overcoming marginalization.

• Minority representation and visibility
• The impact of marginalization and de-marginalization on African American progress
• The role of power and identity in shaping representation
• The significance of independent filmmaking, entrepreneurship, and political participation in advancing African American visibility
• The historical context and social realities influencing African American experiences in the United States

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

• Introduction

  This chapter introduces the concept of representation and its significance in understanding the experiences of minorities, particularly African Americans, in the United States. It highlights the notions of visibility and invisibility, emphasizing the importance of recognizing the presence and impact of African Americans in various fields. The chapter also introduces the concept of marginalization and de-marginalization, and the role of postmodern theory in understanding the relationship between power, identity, and representation.

• Independent Filmmakers

  This chapter delves into the history of African-American cinema, exploring the portrayal of African Americans in Hollywood films and the emergence of independent film movements. It examines the challenges faced by Black filmmakers and the contributions they made to developing a distinctive cinematic voice.

• African-Americans in the US Economy: Black Capitalism

  This chapter focuses on the obstacles and challenges faced by Black entrepreneurs in the US economy. It explores the historical context of Black capitalism, examining the lack of access to capital and lending, the impact of discrimination, and the challenges associated with building successful Black-owned businesses.

• African-Americans in Politics

  This chapter examines the political representation of African Americans in the United States, analyzing their participation in elected offices and the challenges they face in achieving greater representation. It explores the significance of Black political leaders like Jesse Jackson and Barack Obama, as well as the historical and social factors influencing Black political engagement.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

This research paper focuses on the key concepts of minority representation, visibility, marginalization, de-marginalization, power, identity, African American cinema, Black capitalism, and political participation. It explores the historical context, social realities, and challenges faced by African Americans in the United States during the period from 1980 to 2010.

• College: Omar Bongo University
• Course: Rédaction du Mémoire de Maîtrise
• Grade: 15/20
• Author: Dr. Jean Cédric Obame Emane (Author)
• Publication Year: 2010
• Pages: 108
• Catalog Number: V441313
• ISBN (eBook): 9783668801059
• ISBN (Book): 9783668801066
• Language: English
• Tags: african-american, representation, cinema, economy, politics, myth, reality