LEARNING TOGETHER: The Story of America
For years Hollywood had basically ignored Black movie goers. So, in the 1970s, the need for Black people to see themselves represented via Black actors on the big screen exploded with a new ethnic genre called blaxploitation movies. The word blaxploitation was created by combining the word Black and exploitation.
These movies were originally shown in Black communities only until Hollywood discovered that non-Blacks wanted to see these movies, also. Hollywood executives saw big dollars signs by expanding the blaxploitation movie market.
Although the concept of Black representation was a great idea, the movies were viewed by some Black folks (the NAACP and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference) as harmful, hurtful, and jammed packed with negative stereotypes. Many of the movies were degrading to the Black communities, portraying Black people as pimps, criminals, drug dealers (or users) and thugs. Black women were usually over-sexualized, hot-tempered, welfare queens, and just as violent as their male counterparts.
Most of the Black male characters who were supposed to be heroes were closer to anti-heroes, since they were pimps (1973, The Mack), drug dealers (1972, Super Fly), hustlers (1970, Cotton Comes to Harlem), etc. and let’s not forget the infamous male prostitute named Sweet Sweetback. The language used by the Black male leads (really most of the Black characters) was often harsh and laced with profanity. Basically, every Black male lead was a badass law breaker, even the ones who played cops. Not exactly the ideal role model for children.
These movies typically took place in the ghetto aka the hood. Thus, promoting the stereotype that all Black Americans were unintelligent, poor, and waiting for a government handout. However, if the movie was set in the South, it was usually about slavery. In 1975, the movie Mandiago demonstrated the true brutally of slavery.
On the other hand, there were many Black Americans who viewed these movies as a refreshing change from either no Blacks appearing in the movies to Blacks only portraying villains or victims and maids or butlers. By this time Black people were so weary of the mammy representation, the faithful, motherly-type colored woman whose sole purpose in life was to happily tend to the needs of her white masters or employers.
Some Blacks went even further by seeing these movies as Black empowerment, inspired by the Black Power Movement in the 1960s. At least the Black characters (especially the Black lead character, male or female) in these blaxploitation movies took control over their lives. They were able to resolve their issues…their way. No body pushed them around, even if it meant the use of over-the-top violence to bring down “the Man” (the oppressor of all Black people, right on).
Whether you view these movies as good or bad for Black folks, they did crack open the door for Black writers and Black directors. African Americans were telling their stories. They also brought the political, social, and cultural issues of the Black communities to the mass.
On the plus side, these movies produced some of the best funk and soul jazz music ever heard via award winning soundtracks.
A lot of people made a lot of money from blaxploitation films and TV shows; unfortunately, the Black communities depicted in these movies never reaped the benefits.
Blaxploitation films continue to exist today in some form. Examples of blaxploitation can be found in hip hop music, books, TV shows, etc.
Noteworthy Fact(s):
Race films that were created in the early 1900s were meant to show African Americans in a positive light.
Rudy Ray Moore’s movies, (1975, Dolemite) were a parody of blaxploitation films.
Today, Black characters in movies and TV roles use profanity three times as much as white characters. Also, Black characters tend to use violence four times more than white characters.
Some famous blaxploitation movies include Black Belt Jones, Blacula, Black Caesar, Coffy, Shaft, Trouble Man
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