Ethnic Notions

Watching this video made me realize how ridiculous stereotypes of African-Americans were in the past. I always knew people saw them as stupid, and incapable of being successful on their own, but they were so exaggerated that it seemed hard to take seriously. People must have been brainwashed by all the stories, pictures, or actors that made Blacks seem like animals. 

Stereotypes that still exist today remind me of ones in the video. The mammy, an overweight, unattractive black woman who was the head of the family, still somewhat exists. In movies, Black women are portrayed as powerful and hardworking in the household. 

The brute is probably the most common stereotype of Blacks. In the past, he was aggressive, dangerous, and uncontrollable if freed from slavery. He would concentrate on chasing white virgins, and was depicted as a savage beast with no civilized morals. Now, it is the Black criminal, who is dangerous and likely to end up in prison. It is a similar idea, but equally wrong in that the poverty is what leads to crime, not race. The urban coon, who gambles on the street and can't hold a respectable job, exists today in almost the same way. The stereotypes are slowly fading away, but will probably be around for a while longer.