Ethnic Notions
| Ethnic Notions | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Marlon Riggs |
| Produced by | Marlon Riggs |
| Narrated by | Esther Rolle |
| Distributed by | California Newsreel |
Release date |
|
Running time | 56 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Ethnic Notions is a 1987 video essay[1] documentary film directed by Marlon Riggs.[2] It examines anti-Black stereotypes in popular culture from the ante-bellum period until the advent of the Civil rights movement of the 1960s.[2]
Content
Ethnic Notions describes the history of stereotypes which contributed to anti-Black prejudice in the United States. It describes stereotypes including The Tom, The Sambo, The Mammy, The Coon, The Brute, The Pickaninnies, and The Minstrels. The stereotypes are shown in different mediums such as cartoons, feature films, popular songs, minstrel shows, advertisements, folklore, household artifacts, and children's rhymes. Narration is provided by Esther Rolle and commentary is provided by academics.
The documentary touches upon issues of servility, sexuality, appearances, the noble savage, and the impact of mass media on the image of African Americans and how this affects their self-image.
Reception
Ethnic Notions is the most widely seen of Marlon Riggs’ work. It won a National EMMY Award in 1988.
References
- ↑ Blackness, Gayness, Representation: Marlon Riggs Unpacks It All in His Films - The New York Times
- 1 2 Grant, Nancy; Riggs, Marlon (December 1987). "Ethnic Notions". The Journal of American History. 74 (3): 1107. doi:10.2307/1902247. JSTOR 1902247. Retrieved 2023-03-17.
Sources
- Grant, Nancy. Rev. of Ethnic Notions. The Constitution and American Life. Ed. David Thelen. Spec. issue of Journal of American History 74.3 (December 1987): 1107–09.
- Leer, David Van. "Visible Silence: Spectatorship in Black Gay and Lesbian Film." Representing Blackness: Issues in Film and Video. Ed. Valerie Smith. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers UP, 1997. 157–82.
- Welcome to Adelphi University | Kanopy, Marlon Riggs, 1987, adelphi.kanopy.com/video/ethnic-notions-0.