![]() They were encouraged to consider questions like, “what are some stereotypes associated with my identity?” and, “what do people assume when they first meet me?” to guide their creative process. They labeled the boxes with negative stereotypes they have heard about themselves. The rest of the presentation, put together by Smith and other students involved in the Center for Civic Justice, acknowledged other black women such as Henrietta Lacks, actress Hattie McDaniel and the “real-life Betty Boop,” Esther Lee Jones, who were all overlooked and taken advantage of at a time when Jim Crow laws shaped society.Īfterward, the attendees participated in a craft that required them to create a paper box. Whether it came to school projects or her cheer competitions, she was always competitive and she was always outgoing. ” She explained that Penny “tries hard at everything she does. She says, “She made the best out of her experience and never let anyone talk down on her.” Smith has also found that she could relate to Penny Proud, the main character in a 2000s Disney cartoon called “ The Proud Family. Smith gives credit to former First Lady Michelle Obama for being a positive role model in the black community. While there is much progress to be made, representation of black people in the media has come a long way. Though more subtle today, we can see how these stereotypes have evolved and still depict black people in a similar light through popular media. Popular stereotypes and caricatures of black Americans like mammy, Sambo and Jim Crow were used as tools to dehumanize African Americans and portray them as mindless and lazy people. Mammies were characterized as maternal figures devoted to serving white families, and their representation in media rationalized the slavery of black women in the nineteeth century and economic discrimination during the Jim Crow period. These “undesirable” traits made it more acceptable for white slave owners to rape black women working in their homes with no consequences. Mammies were desexualized by being portrayed as overweight women with very dark skin. The original mammy caricature was created and used by white Americans to push the idea that black women were content with their lives as slaves. ![]() Now an American icon, Aunt Jemima has been made over to look more like a maid than the original mammy stereotype. Green’s image became what we all recognize as the famous Aunt Jemima, who Green impersonated until her death. Davis Milling Company grew more and more popular. As the company used this caricature to advertise their product, the R.T. Green was hired to portray a mammy caricature to promote pancake flour for the R.T. Smith first introduced the event’s attendees to Nancy Green, a former slave born in Kentucky in 1834. ![]() To emphasize the fact that the black community is extremely diverse and multifaceted, Smith made it her mission to reveal and disprove some negative stereotypes associated with the group. It began with a presentation during which Smith defined stereotypes and gave examples of some that many might recognize today.Īccording to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, stereotypes can be defined as “a standardized mental picture that is held in common by members of a group and that represents an oversimplified opinion, prejudiced attitude, or uncritical judgement.” Tamera Smith, a junior economics major and an Undergraduate Coordinator for the Center for Civic Justice, hosted the program. The event discussed stereotypes and how they affect the way we view ourselves as well as others. To celebrate Black History Month and the contributions of black people in the U.S., Stony Brook University (SBU)’s Center for Civic Justice hosted an interactive discussion called “Thinking Inside the Box: The Truth Behind the Stereotypes,” on Feb. ![]() Students participating in the Center for Civic Justice’s interactive discussion called “Thinking Inside the Box: The Truth Behind the Stereotypes,” on Feb.
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