The Complexity and Progression of Black Representation in Film and Television

Book excerpt: The Complexity and Progression of Black Representation in Film and Television examines the intricacies of race, representation, Black masculinity, sexuality, class, and color in American cinema and television. Black images on the silver screen date back to the silent film era, yet these films and television programs presented disturbing images of African American culture, and regrettably, many early films and small screen programs portrayed Black characters in demeaning and stereotypical roles. In order to fully analyze the roles of Black actors and actresses in film and television, Moody addresses the following issues: the historical significance of the term “race films”; female Black identities and constructs; queerness and Black masculinity; Black male identities; and Black buffoonery in film and television.