Controlling Images Of Black Women

CONTROLLING IMAGES OF BLACK WOMEN

DONYE CRAWFORD

Controlling Images

Controlling images of Black women have a long and complex history, spanning from slavery to the present day. These images have had a profound impact on the lives of Black women, shaping the way they are perceived and treated in society.

The Mammy

During slavery, Black women were often portrayed as "Mammies," nurturing and selfless caretakers who were devoted to their White masters. This image was used to justify the exploitation of Black women in domestic work, and it persists in popular culture to this day. The Mammy stereotype not only reinforced the idea that Black women were inferior to White people, but it also allowed White people to absolve themselves of any responsibility for the inhumane treatment of Black people.

Sapphires

After slavery, the controlling images of Black women continued to evolve. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Black women were often portrayed as "Sapphires," loud, emasculating, and overly aggressive. This image was used to justify the marginalization of Black women in the workplace and in society at large. The Sapphire stereotype reinforced the idea that Black women were too "masculine" and "unfeminine" to be seen as desirable or attractive.

Jezebels

In the mid-20th century, Black women were portrayed as "Jezebels," sexually promiscuous and morally corrupt. This image was used to justify the sexual exploitation of Black women during slavery, and it continues to be perpetuated in media and popular culture today. The Jezebel stereotype reinforces the idea that Black women are hypersexual and unable to control their own bodies.

Impacts

These controlling images have had a profound impact on the lives of Black women, shaping the way they are perceived and treated in society. Black women have been subjected to a variety of forms of oppression and exploitation, from the objectification of their bodies to the marginalization in the workplace and society at large. The legacy of these controlling images can still be seen today in the way that Black women ' s bodies are policed and scrutinized.

Resistance

However, Black women have also been active in resisting and challenging these images. Throughout history, Black women have used their voices and their art to challenge the stereotypes and demand that they be seen as fully human and deserving of dignity and respect.

Rosana Paulino

ASSENTAMENTO

Rosa Paulino's work focuses on the social, ethnic, and gender issues that black women in Brazil are experiencing. Her work also focuses on the various types of violence that they experience due to racism and the lasting legacy of slavery.

Castiel Vitorino

Castiel Vitorino's work deals directly with those wounds opened by racism, colonialism, heteropatriarchy, and other modes of social, political, and cultural domination that classify people in order to subdue and exploit them.

Movements

Today, Black women continue to resist and challenge the controlling images that have been used to justify their oppression and exploitation.

From the Black Lives Matter movement to the #MeToo movement, Black women are using their voices and their activism to demand change and create a more just and equitable society.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the history and impact of controlling images of Black women is a complex and multifaceted topic. These images have had a profound impact on the lives of Black women, shaping the way they are perceived and treated in society. However, Black women have also been active in resisting and challenging these images, using their voices and their art to demand change and create a better

Works Cited

FClifford Gallery Exhibition: Assentamento / settlement - Rosana Paulino. Colgate Calendar. (n.d.). Retrieved April 29, 2023, from https://calendar.colgate.edu/event/clifford gallery exhibition rosana paulino

Rosana Paulino - Búfala. Mendes Wood DM. (n.d.). Retrieved April 29, 2023, from https://mendeswooddm.com/en/exhibition/rosana-paulin

Castiel Vitorino Brasileiro: Eclipse. CCS Bard. (n.d.). Retrieved April 29, 2023, from https://ccs.bard.edu/museum/exhibitions/623-castiel-vitorino-brasileiro-eclipse

The Jezebel stereotype. Ferris State University. (n.d.). Retrieved April 29, 2023, from https://www.ferris.edu/HTMLS/news/jimcrow/jezebel/index.htm

The sapphire caricature. Ferris State University. (n.d.). Retrieved April 29, 2023, from https://www.ferris.edu/HTMLS/news/jimcrow/antiblack/sapphire.htm

The mammy caricature. Ferris State University. (n.d.). Retrieved April 29, 2023, from https://www.ferris.edu/HTMLS/news/jimcrow/mammies/homepage.htm

Works Cited

Analysis of Black Female Belizean Stereotypes in Visual Media Jezebel, Mammy, Sapphire, and their Contributions to Violence by Kiesha Warren-GordonBall State University and Deborah Mencias McMillanGalen University in Belize (week 6)

Remnants of Venus: Signifying Black Beauty and Sexuality by Janell Hobson (week 6)

Settlement: Rosana Paulino and Black Women's Insubordinate Geohistories

Lorraine Leu ( week 7)

Mais Viva! Reassembling Transness, Blackness, and Feminism by Dora Silva Santana (week 8)

The Exist is to Resist by Akwugo Emejulu (Week 10)