Kiessence Bassett

Pozel/Simmons/Registre

AP African American Literature/ AP African American History

5.2.2019

The Epidemic of the Black Women’s Caricature

Topic: How do the unconscious and conscious caricatures of Black women affect the

disparities that so many of us face? How are those caricatures enforced or progressed?

Also, what are some solutions to ending the caricatures that black women face?

In America Black women are at the bottom of the totem pole, as pertaining to the

oppressions that we face. What makes our oppressions so great are our intersections.

Most black women face the intersectionality of race, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic

status, and sometimes sexualty. These intersections along with the history that has

shaped systematic oppression in our country lead to the progressing caricatures of

black women. Black women’s past has created the unconscious and conscious

caricatures of black women. But, through visual media these caricatures have

continued, the problem that is being created are the disparities that the black family as a

whole are facing, the solution will come from helping the young brown girls by aiding

their development.

Black people have had a very bad past in white America. From slavery, to

economic structure of black people, to the political status of black people. As slavery

went from just men, to enslaving the whole black family, women began to be placed in

different roles for the benefit of the white man. These roles that women were put in led
to the creation of the caricatures labeling and stunting the positive development of most

Black women in America. Women worked in the field and in the house. On a broad level

there was the “field negro V. the house negro.” The “field negro,” worked in the field, did

the strenuous manual labor they were usually darker, young - middle aged Black

people. The “house negro,” was usually held to the standard of being lighter than a

brown paper bag(the cook, and servent the the children was usually an exclusion),

mostly women, and overall more attractive to the white eye. But, on a very specific

spectrum of enslaved women, there was the “Mammy” the “Sapphire” and the “Jezebel.”

This was best outlined in the book “The Sisters are Alright,” by Tamara Winfrey

Harris. “Mammy” is the black women known for taking care of the masters children. She

is kind, obedient, and not desired, by the master, but good at taking care of the children.

“Sapphire” is an old name for the “angry black woman,” she is considered aggressive.

Lastly, the “Jezebel” she is the desired black woman, often she is oversexualized. What

makes the “Jezebel different is that she is not “too dark” but exotic because her skin has

a little melanin, and her hair is curly with gold highlights(not in every case). The biggest

misconception is that Black women are one of three caricatures individually, either the

Mammy, the Sapphire, or the Jezebel. But, the reality is that all Black women are one of

these at a given time depending on their intersection, what they are doing, mixed with

who is perceiving their personality, or character. What I mean is that if you Black women

may be oversexualized for being the “Jezebel,” they say something to defend

themselves as they are oversexualize, and because of that they are the “Sapphire.” But

the misconception comes mainly from the inaccurate caricatures of Black women that

are enforced through media.

 The caricatures of Black women are continually being enforced through

mainstream media. In visual media there are many things that negatively and in-

accurately portray Black women. How Black women are portrayed in movies is very

versatile, also conflicting to analyze because they are playing a role. So, to further

analyze it I would need to analyze the purpose of the movie itself which is subjective.

But it's behind the scenes that this takes place and is not publicized. In the 2016 film,

Nina, Nina Simone was played by Zoe Saldana. Zoe is a women of color but not a

solely a black women and many shades lighter than Nina Simone herself. The idea of

“whiteness” in the American society is vastly associated with Intelligence. So instead of

having an actor who looks like Nina Simone even though there are many choices, the

producer’s chose someone that they would have to paint. This is one example of white

people only being comfortable with people that have features that closely identify with

their own. They want the light-skin “Jezebel.” Throughout history we have seen that

lighter skin is associated with intelligence, wealth, and advanced educational

ability. Black women are portrayed through these caricatures not only in movies but,

through the news and social media. For example, most people did not know much

information about Beyonce’s sister Solange but, when they did hear about her it was

because of a physical altercation with Jay-Z in an elevator, even though she has been

in multiple movies, and has a successful music career. Another example is through

individual’s personal social media, many of the videos that go viral on Facebook that

include young Black women are physical fights. On my personal social media all of the

posts about young Black women getting scholarships get few likes and shares. But

physical fights continue to go viral. The way that Black women are portrayed in media is
very different from everyone else. While Black men are portrayed negatively in media as

well, they are still shown as professional when it comes to athleticism, and higher

paying positions. For example, when Serena Williams was accused of cheating she was

portrayed as being angry, dramatic, and unnecessary when she spoke up to the

referee. But, when Kaepernick kneeled, he got endorsements and even though racist,

and capitalist whites criticized him there were many whites, women, men, and others

that supported him. Kaepernick did face some consequences, but Black women

continue to face the consequence of caricatures that are causing them to face

disparities as well and are not receiving much support or endorsements for standing up

against them.

The biggest disparities that Black families are facing are in health, economics,

and education. Many of the caricatures faced by black women lead to disparities that

are affecting the lives of black women, but also their families. The reason for this is the

“cycle” that the black family is stuck in. In the article “Black and African American

Communities and Mental Health” from Mental Health America, the source stated that

“Historical adversity, which includes slavery, sharecropping, and race-based exclusion

from health, educational, social and economic resources, translates into socioeconomic

disparities experienced by African Americans today.” I believe that this source is biased

because of the way that the information from the sources they used was pulled apart

and used for their purpose. The reason this affects Black women so much is because

they are often single mothers facing these disparities alone in their home. The

incarceration rate for Black men in America is continually rising, that includes the

sentencing for Black men getting longer as well. With the black family being torn apart
the most important solution is to support the black youth. I believe that the reason our

young women are growing up to continue the disparities caused by these caricatures is

because their are not many effective programs for their development alone, in my

community at least. Outreach for identity specific communities has shown to be very

effective.

I believe that the solution to my research starts with programs that help young

Black women become the adults that they wish to be. I believe a program based on that

positive development is the best solution. I started a club at school called Brown Girls

Devine, a group that strives to enhance the positive development of young black and

brown girls through mentorship. This program will support, inspire, and empower young

girls to strengthen their individual communities through service work, academic

achievement, and moral development. In our school system we have clubs enhancing

the positive development of young black men, and other multicultural students, but

nothing for our young black and brown women. In regard to my white counterparts, they

often receive many opportunities and organizations that cater directly to them, let alone

having a school system made particularly for them. But Brown Girls Devine is helping

at-risk young black and brown girls by helping get them out of the destructive cycle of

getting suspended, sent to alternative school, arrested and then nothing, that is the end

for most of them. How is that fair? My motivation is that there are other young girls out

there that may be facing the same disparities and challenges as I am. I have been a

witness to the experiences of young black and brown girls who feel there is no

community for them, no sisterhood. They feel that the school system expects nothing

but trouble from them. I have many motivations, but my biggest is that I am full of hope
for the future generations. Brown Girls Devine works to empower young black and

brown women to strengthen their communities. I hope that Brown Girls Devine will

create a sisterhood for black women and open doors for them. When the doors are

open, there is only one seat at the table and black and brown women are forced to fight

for it. There should be more than one seat and I hope to make that happen. Assata

Shakur once said, “It is our duty to fight for our freedom. It is our duty to win. We must

love and protect each other. We have nothing to lose but our chains.” This is the

principle I live by. It is my present and my future duty. It is making me a strong and

powerful black woman; a black woman that is fighting for her freedom, for winning, for

loving and protecting others, and losing her chains. As the process that Assata has set

forth transforms me, I hope to help the young girls of Brown Girls Devine transform

themselves. From the data that I was able to take after the first trial, the girls that

participated considered it a positive influence in their lives. They said that they were

thinking and discussing ideas that they never had an avenue for previously.

Black women have been at the bottom of the totem, since slavery began, and

have been forced to adapt to a life negatively aided by caricatures that society have

placed on us. The intersections of our identities, race, gender, ethnicity, sexuality,

socioeconomic status, education status have caused great oppression. Even though

slavery is history, the effects of it along with Black womens intersectionalities have led

to the negatively progressing caricatures of Black women through media. But with these

caricatures come oppressions, that lead to the disparities we, as Black women face. To

end these caricatures it will take village, because it is all in how children are raised, and

what they are raised to believe about others. That is why the best solution would be a
positive social development program for young Black and Brown girls. These

caricatures are continually being emphasized but that is not for Black women to handle,

we must focus on us and the people in systematic, political, and economic power must

begin to look within. If we do not fix this problem, Black women’s significance will be

erased.