For many decades, television has had a profound effect on culture and American society. It influences how people perceive social issues such as class, gender, and race. In the 1950s, television represented black people in a predominantly negative light. In the 1951 show Amos and Andy, for instance, blacks were represented in such a way that made the then racist America oppose them even more. It heightened the tension between blacks and whites, which only made things worse for the black community. In many cases, black characters in movies were assigned subordinate roles. The Jeffersons, which aired in the 70s, was the first television program to feature African-Americans in a positive light (Hemsley, 1975). The main characters were successful and even had a housekeeper.
In the 1950s and 60s, most of the people who appeared on television were white. African Americans played minor roles as house cleaners and security guards. Gradually, this began to change, and black people began to take center stage as entertainers. Such shows included the Nat King Cole Show and the Ed Sullivan Show. However, these shows focused on the roles played by the various characters in their capacity as entertainers. They did not cover the lives and experiences of African Americans in the general population. After the civil rights movement, activists demanded to see more minorities on television, and that these minorities should be portrayed in a positive light.
After the Second World War, the central theme of movies and television shows became the attainment of the American Dream. Instead of reflecting the society, many American filmmakers chose to focus on the American dream. Attaining the American Dream also meant being part of a patriarchal nuclear family. According to a 1950 census, 87.1% of American households comprised of a father, mother, and children. The man was the sole breadwinner, and he took care of his wife and family (Rideout, 2006). Nuclear families were a prerequisite for the American dream. In the Jeffersons, for instance, the idea of a nuclear family is emphasized. The husband is the sole breadwinner and can provide for his family comfortably. They are not plagued by one of the biggest problems facing members of their race in the USA: the continuing threat of poverty and financial problems.
One characteristic feature of films from this period was racial prejudice. In the Jeffersons, George Jefferson seems to dislike his white neighbor simply because he is white. In spite of his numerous efforts to be friendly, George continues to hate him. He often refers to whites as “honkies,” a clear indicator that he has no respect for them.
The 1970s television series Roots differed from other television shows of its time because it focused on blacks as victims. The show followed the lives of slaves, from their initial enslavement to their emancipation. Unlike television shows such as the Jeffersons and Sanford and Sons, where the main characters were successful black people, Roots focuses on the lives of underprivileged black people. They do not have a say in many of the things taking place in their lives (Burton, 1977). Good Times and Sanford and Sons focus on the good side of the African American life. Roots captures the African American experience in a manner that was not depicted in earlier shows. It shows the struggles of African Americans in a clear and concise manner, unlike earlier shows such as Good Times and Sanford and Sons. It gives a better understanding of the African-American experience. In conclusion, the bottom line is that African –Americans were not portrayed in a positive light prior to 1970s and 1980s but things started to change for the better with the screening of The Jeffersons. It was one of the first films to show African Americans doing well in life, and that was the beginning of African Americans starring in important roles.
References
Ramsey, D. A. (Producer), & Margulies, S. (Director). (1977). Roots [Motion Picture].
Duclon, D. (Producer), & Lally, B. (Director). (1975). The Jeffersons [Motion Picture]. CBS.
Rideout, V. (2006). The Media Family. Menlo Park: Kaiser Family Foundation.
