| Not long ago, there was just one negative image of | | | | the Afro-Americans. Precious (2009), a recently |
| the black Americans, which is still the prototype of | | | | released film manifests this categorization. In Precious, |
| them. But, nowadays, there are two distinct images of | | | | a girl is raped several times by her father. The image |
| African-Americans in US literature and Cinema. The | | | | of "a father raping his own daughter" as a |
| new positive image of the Afro-Americans was first, | | | | representation for blacks' culture is not a new issue. In |
| successfully, shown by the Cosby Show. | | | | fact such images have been repeatedly reproduced in |
| The Cosby Show (NBC, 1984-1992) was unique, not in | | | | other Hollywood films. Color Purple (1985) has the |
| the sense that it made the Obamas possible, but in a | | | | same concept. The Black family is mostly represented |
| sense that it was exceptional. It portrayed a different | | | | in US movies and TV shows as a rotten one. |
| Afro-American family. Before the Cosby Show, the | | | | A question is raised at this point, which one is truer: |
| black families were portrayed as idle, funny, | | | | The Huxtable's and Obama's image of black families |
| non-educated, or even connected with drug dealing, | | | | or the black prototypes as portrayed in The Precious |
| prostitution, etc. The Cosby Show was the first | | | | or Color Purple? Considering the statistical facts one |
| television show that introduced another black family. | | | | may conclude that the black prototypes are the |
| This time the father is a doctor, the mother is a lawyer, | | | | reflection of the reality in the American society. More |
| and the girl goes to school. | | | | than 28% of the black families live below the poverty |
| The Cosby Show, however, is an exception. There | | | | line. Furthermore 18% of black youths are dropped |
| are few films or shows that show the same image as | | | | from High School. This statistics can only be compared |
| The Cosby Show did. But, what is the norm, then? The | | | | to the Hispanic minorities in US which have almost the |
| normal image of a black family in US is what has been | | | | same status. It is obvious that the black families' |
| prototyped for almost three centuries by a European | | | | socio-economic status is very low comparing to other |
| white majority. The same old prototype is still the most | | | | ethnic groups in US. However another question is "is |
| visible image of the black families. Cliff Huxtable made | | | | the low socio-economic status of black families |
| all his effort to change this image through his | | | | reflected by the black prototypes or is it created by |
| successful show. | | | | it?" it is a difficult question to answer. The best answer, |
| Yet as he said he did not showed anything which was | | | | however, is to say that it has a bilateral relation. The |
| odd to black families. In other words, Cliff Huxtable | | | | more the negative prototypes are created, the more it |
| claimed that what he showed was something normal | | | | affects the black families in not improving their status, |
| for African-American families. A black upper | | | | which in its turn will more be reflected by the media. |
| middle-class family was not something weird. | | | | The Huxtables' and the Obama's version of a black |
| Displaying such a family to a mainstream audience | | | | family are not the mainstream of black family |
| was weird, for from the very first day of showing | | | | representation in US. The mainstream is what is |
| blacks on US television, they were portrayed as | | | | recently represented in The Precious. There are |
| lower-class families. | | | | evidences for this claim. The best evidence is other |
| Could this show change the American thinking of the | | | | representations of black individuals and black |
| black families? I doubt it, for almost two decades after | | | | communities. The blacks are famous for being |
| the Cosby Show the blacks are still displayed in the | | | | basketball players, for being Rap singers, and for being |
| same old ways. In other words, the black families have | | | | a member of black gangster youth bands. This is the |
| not found their proper place in the American television | | | | image that people have of the blacks. There is no |
| yet. | | | | positive image for blacks. No one knows blacks for |
| Some people, however, claim that the Huxtables' | | | | being Harvard Professors (although some of them |
| Cosby Show made the Obamas. I doubt it too. In my | | | | are); no one knows blacks as being a member of a |
| opinion the specific time of the US history made the | | | | research team (although they are). What we know |
| Obamas as it made the Cosby Show two decades | | | | about them is what image we get about them. |
| earlier. The Cosby show was a product of many | | | | These negative images represent the real world. |
| efforts done before the Huxtables. When after the | | | | However, at the same time, they are produced by |
| Civil Right Movements in 1960s and 70s some racist | | | | specific group to show blacks negative. True, most of |
| whites tried to reinforce the blacks' negative image in | | | | the blacks, because of physical capability, are good at |
| the media. Some black artists tried to answer back by | | | | basketball. They invented the Rap music as well. But |
| making their own image of blackness. Their image | | | | these images are exaggeratedly overproduced by |
| was, indeed, affected by the three centuries old racist | | | | those who want to picture the blacks in a negative |
| image. Therefore many of their products were not of | | | | way. The white racist people like to represent the |
| success. The Cosby Show was not the first effort in | | | | blacks in a negative way, so that they can have |
| this sense, but the first successful one. | | | | excuse for their racist behaviors. This reproduction |
| The Obamas are the product of a time in which the | | | | affects the reality and makes the blacks feel incapable |
| blacks try not to emphasis their blackness. This is the | | | | of no going to Yale or Princeton University. |
| only way for them to gain power in the American | | | | Furthermore, the rise of America and the decline of |
| society. Instead of emphasizing their blackness, the | | | | blacks are intertwined for centuries. The higher the US |
| blacks now emphasize their Americanness. Thus the | | | | went the lower the blacks became. Historically |
| Huxtables and the Obamas belong to two different | | | | speaking, there were however two eras as exception. |
| time eras for black families. | | | | The Reconstruction Era of 1865-1878 and the 1963 as |
| Obama and Huxtable fall in the same category. They | | | | the beginning of Civil Rights movements. |
| both give a positive image of the Afro-Americans. In | | | | Although the Huxtables' and Obama's new image of |
| Obama's two books, Dreams from my Father (2004) | | | | black family are still exceptions for the main negative |
| and The Audacity of Hope (2006), a moderate Black | | | | image of the blacks, it can show that the black |
| American is represented. Obama gives an image of | | | | soci-cultural stand in the US society is changing to a |
| an African-American middle-class family believing in the | | | | better condition. This is of certain importance, especially |
| American creed. | | | | with a black person at the White House. These are all |
| However there are other representations regarding | | | | symptoms to show that the black are moving forward. |