African-American Media Rhetoric
From DigitalRhetoricCollaborative
Contents |
Introduction
The representation of racial minorities, especially African-Americans, has held a negative or positive bias since the creation of modern media. Whether obvious or subtle, racism has sometimes interjected its way into the production of images and other portrayals of African-American individuals. Societal hierarchical norms have contributed to the use of powerful entertainment tools to configure the message they would like their audience to feel. This concept can be dissected through the view of rhetorical canons, utilizing images, text and news broadcasts to understand the motives behind race representations in media.
Artifact Analysis
The cultural artifact I am analyzing is an article from The Detroit Free Press, a newspaper founded in 1831. On the front page from May 4th, 1963, bold letters spell out the reality of the Civil Rights Movement- "DOGS, FIRE HOSES QUELL HUGE NEW RACE MARCH". In the accompanying image, African-American youth are seen hosting a sit-in in Birmingham, Alabama.
