First Thought
For over a decade media has been influential to the lives, homes and perspectives of many. Media has been used as a form of self-expression, entertainment and to broadcast important information of its time. Technology is used as a tool of extensions of ourselves and media is used as a form to communicate with each other. Throughout the course of history there has been significant amounts of events that have been either first of its kind or that have been repeated in cycles. Media for example can carry both of these attributes, Technology used for media is first of its kind on this planet but because we are creatures of habits there are events that continue to occur and are published for all wondering eyes to see and read. In this essay I will express my thoughts on the history and current status of social media, racial disparities and social mobility.
In order to understand the current state of black media we must first understand the history. Freedoms Journal was the first black owned and operated newspaper in the United States, published in New York on 1827. Taking in consideration at this time slavery was still prominent especially in the south. The 13thAmendment was yet not a thought and the population of freed black slaves was about 300,000 nationwide. The level of courage, activism and resilience these black folks had paved the way for many blacks to have self-expression, education, communication and curiosity. Courage, to go against the norm of a ‘uneducated black man’ and have enough ambition and trust to own and publish their own newspaper in order to appeal to other blacks. When you see someone that looks like you accomplish something you have not seen yet been done it allows you to build a schema in your mind. Creating room for a larger perspective on the world and yourself, also allowing you to perceive change. Writing was used as a form of communication, at the time they didn’t have the click of an email, a ‘like’ button or blog to share their political opinions. The best resource at the time in order to broadcast to a large audience they used newspapers, taking the skills and tools they had in order to expand, challenge and inform. Curiosity, this word brings me to back to the Fredrick Douglas in his autobiography he states that he never questioned his state of slavery until he learned how to read. What a vigorous statement, because if not challenged or given the opportunity to perceive more than what you know you remain like the cavemen in Socrates allegory of the cave. Courage, Communication and Curiosity paved the way for many blacks in technology and media to continue to fight for social and political justice, be it in newspapers, film maker, content creator, artist, scientist ext.
Human race is an interesting phenomenon. From the paleolithic age we have drawn in caves, created tools and manipulated out habitat and order to state, ‘I exist, I am here, I was here’, self-expression is essential for our survival it is a way for us to relate with one another. We have found ways to relate with one another be that through, Religion, Culture, Race, Age, Gender or Habitat (experience). Because of the development of the United States and the historical event of slavery that took a large detrimental effect on the physical, psychological and emotional impact on black families and individuals throughout time. Black people have created an unspoken bond to rise curiosity in one another for political and racial justice. In newspapers we have had 20 black radical newspapers after the rise and fall of Freedom writers. Black southerners Like Ida B. Wells, created a platform for not only colored people but also women of color. Another example of someone showing great courage through her life. She kept in contact with people from the south in order to communicate with the rest of the nation the truths of the racism and in just happening in the south. She traveled overseas and returned the south in her later years risking her life for the right to speak truth. She was the representation of an educated, willful, intentional black women. From newspapers black people created magazines, and films. Oscar Michaux, was the black first director and producer in the united states to create films of black people to upraise the perspective of black people. In white films black people had 5 roles, the fool, the uncle tom, the house maid, the slave and the sex barbarian. Oscar used his expression of film writing and moving picture to illustrate and communicate to white and black people of his time that there is schema beyond the 5 roles of what they were taught to believe. With the development of technology and rise of social consciousness black people use the tools and skills they have to communicate to a broader audience.
How does social media empower or oppress different representations of blackness? In white papers they used cartoons to belittle the black community. In films like ‘A Birth of a Nation’ by D.W Griffith humiliated the black race but portraying all 5 negative roles/stigmas played by black people at the time by using black face. Along with justifying lynching and the movement of the KKK. Today when you turn on the news you see black men being killed for just being black and when the journalist speaks on the victims behave, he was either 1. In the wrong place at the wrong time or 2. Affiliated with the wrong crowed. Also understanding the movement Malcom X and Fred Hampton, they were misinterpreted and manipulated by the media in order for society to turn against them. Malcolm x believed in “doing whatever means necessary” to protect himself and his family. These words were taken out of context and misconstrued to make people believe that he was violent because he was resilient and fearless. Fred Hampton was a part of the Black Panther Party, providing food, medicine and education to children in low income communities. His genuine and indestructible influence was portrait as rebellious therefore he was murdered. The Book Black Image in the White Mind quotes “media images still contain traces of long-standing cultural presumptions not only of essential racial difference but of the hierarchy that idealizes ‘whiteness” (57), People of political power fear the resilient and the fearless therefore they use money, death and jail as a threat to freedom. On the other hand, media has also been used to empower black people. 1. empower black people to have a voice 2. to remedy character and remove disabilities 3. Justice and freedom and 4. Communication, to call them into action. When black people gained access to technology, they used the media and the press to show the lives from the black perspective. Creating influence and changing perspectives. This is also seen in cable shows today like Soul Train, Good Times, Blackish and Insecure. What all these shoes have in common is the values that are shared in the black community; Culture, Beauty, Music, Ritual, Celebration, Family, and Friendship.
What is the current state of black media? It depends what lens it is being seen through. I personally don’t identify with black media that is degrading to women and men. This is seen in music videos where black men and women value money and sex as a means of power to degrade one another. Men rap about pistols and “tricks and hoes” and women wearing flashy items and rap about their performance in an intimate setting (in the act of sex) as a way to prove they are worthy. This is a really interesting question because black people have been degraded in the past but now in mass media black people are unconsciously degrading themselves by emphasizing value on money and sex. On the optimistic side there are black people recreating and showing successful black leaders in the media offering foresight, leadership in values of self-respect. Just to name a few there is Tracee Ellis Ross (director, producer, actress, activist ext.), Shannon Boodram (sex educator, author, content creator, activist ext.), Erykah Badu (writer, singer, producer, actress, ext.) These are just a few black women of our time challenging the eyes of the beholders and enhancing consciousness. I answer this question by saying, you can perceive the glass have full or half empty.
What is more important ownership or authenticity/representation/responsibility? Authenticity is being one of its kind, which is a quality that everyone holds. Representation can also be seen as anyone walking down the street of a race, gender or sexual orientation. Responsibility is when someone walks in a room with an intention and shows up to the table time and time again for the cause they believe in. When you look back at the history of the United States great leaders possess all of these qualities, preaching what they practice by being an example of the cause they stood for. Along with introspection, resilience and respect. The great leaders that came before us have created a pavement for communication, racial justice and social mobility.
Citation:
Entman, R. M., & Rojecki, A. (2007). The black image in the white mind: media and race in America. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.