Television has profoundly influenced the understanding of pop culture and people’s intellectual development in the sense that it takes other powerful texts that have to be read, that has to be interpreted, and that has to be consumed. This self-understanding to ascertain degree both shaped by and articulated against the images, ideas, and ideologies on television, as they enable an on sight and site negotiation of black identity. The evolution of television along with the evolution and influence of film, sport as well as music has coincided with the development of thepopular conception of black people in the television programs. This paper seeks to explore the evolution that the black community has undergone in the television sector and the achievements that the first if their kind attained in Hollywood, which is the focus of the research.
Like several of its initial television correspondents, the “Amos ‘n’ Andy” television presentation was a direct descendant of a radio show; the radio version originated on WMAQ in Chicago on March 19, 1928, and ultimately became the longest-running radio presentation in performance history. “Amos ‘n’ Andy” was portrayed by Freeman Gosden and Charles Correll, two white characters who portrayed the personality of Amos Jones and Andy Brown by imitating the so-called Negro parlance. The show was initial broadcast on CBS Station in June 1951 and served some two years before the presentation was removed in the center of growing demonstration by the black community in 1953. It was the earliest television set with an all-black shade, the unique one of its kind to appear on prime network television for nearly 20 years.
The programs’ portrayal of the African American life and society was considered by the black group of the period as an offending return of the times of blackface and minstrelsy. Media historians Donald Bogle notes, “Neither CBS nor the series developers were ready for an altering of the state constitution following the Second World War” (Bogle 110). Within black American, a new political realization and a new responsiveness of the significance of image had emerged. Though hardly devoid of the annoying and criticizing symbolism of the past, Hollywood of the post-World War II period introduced a time of better parts and enhanced pictures for African American entertainers in Hollywood. For the first time in medium’s history, American motion pictures presented presence of black militants fighting beside their white confidants; black performers were shown in sequined gowns as well as tuxedos as a replacement of bandanas and calico dresses. Black characters included teachers and lawyers and also other causative society members.
Post –World War II African Americans gazed upon the new communication of television with pleasant excitement. To them, the mechanism could invalidate the decades of insulting misrepresentation and ethnic stereotype so rampant throughout the history of film. The usual image of black stars on early television different shows was met with permission from the black authority. African Americans were still overflowing over late vital additions in social equality brought by the World War II. They were prepared to realize processed images of themselves in public art. To some, the characters in “Amos ‘n’ Andy” --rude, aggrieve woman and weak black men—are offensive. Especially abhorred was the depiction of black experts. Following its 1951 summer convention, the National Association for Advertisement of Colored People (NAACP) mandated an official protest against the program. The associated outline a list of explicit items it felt were offensive: for instance, "each figure is either a crook or a clown," Negro scientists are presented as fakes" and Negro advocates are portrayed as crooks” (Cripps 35). As the series performed in June 1951, the NAACP showed up in federal court asking an order against its premier. To screening managers, the show was inoffensive, not very different from “Life with Luigi, The Goldberg’s, or any other ethically oriented shows of the times
In 1953, CBS showed reluctance in removing the series from their program, but not exclusively for the reason of the efforts made by NAACP. As indicated, the period highlighted a quickly changing atmosphere for race relations in the United Sates. Accomplishment in the southern business sector was imperative to real publicists. In a period when African Americans were turning out to be progressively vocal in the battle against racial segregation, extensive publicists were hesitant to have items too nearly connected with dark individuals.
In addition, most people acknowledge that African Americans have come a long way in the entertainment scene, particularly, television. The roles have transformed from the stereotypical roles that they played such as maids and guards to become academy award-winning participants in the main movies. With such achievements awarded to them through the years, it had been expected that things will get easier and better for the blacks in this industry as they continue to evolve and achieve more. Television shows were aired for many years before the first black person graced the screen to represent this plight on screen. The white Americans enjoyed the limelight for many years before having to share the fame and glory, and when the time came for this to happen, the roles awarded to them also become an issue because some of the audiences felt that they were demeaning.
The African American Registry (2) reports that the first black person appeared on television on 14 June 1939. The television shows that attained this achievement was called the ‘The Ethel Waters Show’ starring an actor by the same name. The show was aired on the popular NBC network and starred other black actresses such as Georgette Harvey and Fredi Washington.
The success of Ethel Waters was an achievement to the black community. The actress, Waters, had managed to get her show, however, this was after a long duration of illustrious and turbulent effort in her career to achieve the goal. The show did not last long, and Waters faded from the screen only to return after more than a decade playing the role of a maid in the show “Beulah”. Despite the role appearing to be diminutive, it has been reported to be a crucial turn for the black community in television because she spearheaded their appearance for almost fifty years (The American Registry 3). Ethel Waters’ experience depicts more than a mere chronological record. Instead, it should be viewed as a success story of thebreakthrough of an artist who achieved a lot in a time where such individual achievements were almost non-existent.
The next person to gain a different achievement but still in the acting field was Hattie McDaniel, who was the first black person to win the much coveted award for Best Supporting Actress, for an Academy Award for her role in the movie called “Gone with the Wind”, in which she had played the role a year earlier. Abramovitch (1) reports on the 75-year-old achievement of the great actress and reports her as an epitome of African American’s achievements that should be remembered by more than just the descendants.
After the exploration of achievements of great black actors such as Ethel Waters and Hattie McDaniel, it is expected that they changed the Hollywood scene and television to their favor. The role of the blacks has significantly changed over the years, however, the major players in the industry still feel that their role has still been undermined despite proving their excellence in the entertainment front. They deserve more significantroles and awards to match what they offer in this industry. The radio show sector presents a different angle on the issue of the evolution of blacks in this industry.
The apprehension of white monetary kickback was an extraordinary worry to advertise and television procedures. The notion of “organized consumer resistance” made advertisers and communications administrators avoid appearing for rights for African Americans. One marketing agency supervisory, considering the blacks on television, indicated in ‘variety’ “the remark has been made, ‘No Negro characters permitted.”
On a different perspective, aside from abortive attempts to beam Barbara Walters with Harry Reasoner and Connie Chung with Dan Rather, state news performing has been almost exclusively preserved for the white males. However, many local stations have long represented diversity in the community by employing anchor teams of one man and one woman, with each anchor of a different race, supplemented by an ethnically diverse group of male and female reporters on the sports and weather section and in the field. Even in the local context, however, distinctions between the ways in which male and female anchors are treated are vital. This research conducted in this paper has successfully covered the evolution that the black community has undergone in the television sector and the achievements that the first if their kind attained in Hollywood, which is the focus of the research blacks in the industry. Despite not achieving full favor as they feel they deserve, the evolution has been significant, and the industry continues to grow in their support, although at a gradual pace.
Works Cited
African American Registry. First Black Seen on Television. 2013. Web. 8 May 2016. (http://www.aaregistry.org/historic_events/view/first-black-seen-television)
Abramovitch Seth. “Oscar’s First Black Winner Accepted her Honor in a Segregated ‘No Blacks’ Hotel in L.A.” The Hollywood Reporter. 19 February 2015. Web. 8 May 2016 (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/features/oscars-first-black-winner- accepted-774335)
Bogle, Donald. Primetime Blues: African Americans on network television. Macmillan, 2015. Print
Cripps, T. (1983). Amos’n’Andy and the Debate over American Racial Integration. American History/American Television: Interpreting the Video Past, 33-54.
