Cinethetic Racism: White Redemption and Black Stereotypes in "Magical Negro" Films

Abstract

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On Identity Treatises as a Subject of Sociology of Knowledge with Historic and Social Origins of Identity Problem

“…This gives a way to studies about the reflection of identities in media (Evans, 2006;MacNamara, 2006;Barker, 2006;Bird, 2003;Buckingham, 2007;Ferguson, 1998;Hermes, 2005;Kellner, 1995;Nadel, 2005). Recently, analysis studies on the media haveincreased, especially in the field of sociology of knowledge (Hughey, 2009;Entman, Robert &Rojecki, 2001;Best, 2003;Daum, 2009). Philosophers have developed new approaches to the issue of how social positions affect knowledge structures by criticizing Mannheim's sociology of knowledge, and they have started to analyze how new media affects collective memory (Swidler&Arditi, 1994;307).…”

Reel racism, real consequences : a multiple case analysis of savior films as racial projects.

“…This representation creates an assumption that "most Blacks are poor, uneducated, and occupying the lower rungs of society..." (Hughey 2009:556). Furthermore, this assumption lends authenticity to the placement of Magical Negroes in these savior films (Hughey 2009). Hughey continues, "By making Magical Negroes resemble welfare queens, uneducated voodoo priestesses, the mentally challenged, impoverished janitors, prisoners, and the homeless, the films both produce and solidify a marginalizing discourse" (Hughey 2009:556).…”

“…But, they can only do so under mainstream limiters. Hughey (2009) Collins (2000), are essentially stereotypes that guide society's perception and presentation of Black people, and they are "designed to make racism, sexism, poverty, and other forms of social injustice appear to be natural, normal, and inevitable parts of everyday life" (p.69). The Magical Negro is a stock character who often appears to be impoverished, lower class and uneducated, who also possesses some supernatural magical abilities or otherworldly folkloric wisdom.…”

“…The Magical Negro is a stock character who often appears to be impoverished, lower class and uneducated, who also possesses some supernatural magical abilities or otherworldly folkloric wisdom. This brand of power and wisdom is exclusively used to save and uplift broken, uncultured, and lost Whites (Hughey 2009). …”

“…Placing Magical Negroes in the most impoverished of lower classes creates, according to Stuart Hall (1997) and Hughey (2009), a "labor of representation" for the "White populist imagination" (Hall 1997;Hughey 2009:556). This representation creates an assumption that "most Blacks are poor, uneducated, and occupying the lower rungs of society..." (Hughey 2009:556).…”