A Qualitative Content Analysis of Colorism in Black Sitcoms
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47611/jsrhs.v11i3.2870Keywords:
content anaylsis, sitcoms, colorism, Black sitcomsAbstract
This paper examines colorism in twenty Black American sitcoms ranging from the 1960s until the 2010s. Although previous researchers have looked at how colorism has presented itself in various forms of mainstream and Black media, not many have looked at the Black sitcom genre as a whole. Through the use of qualitative content analysis, this research suggests that Black American sitcoms tend to spread colorist messages in how characters are portrayed in the areas of romance, aggressiveness, criminality, and class status. Under the cultivation analysis theory, this research argues that because of this Black sitcoms have been used as a tool to spread colorist messages which plays a part in real world discrimination typically felt by darker skinned Black people. This study could be used by both audiences and content makers to acknowledge and fight against the biases present within previous and future forms of media.
Downloads
References or Bibliography
Anderson, A., Dobbins, B., Sugland, H., Barris, K., & Russo, T. (Executive Producers). (2014 - 2022). Black-ish [TV series]. ABC Signature[a]; Khalabo Ink Society; Cinema Gypsy Productions; Principato-Young Entertainment; Artists First.
Carsey, M., Werner, T., Mandabach, C., & Fales, S. (Executive Producers). (1987 - 1993). A Different World [TV series]. Carsey-Werner Productions.
Chow, K. (2014, October 28). A Timeline Of Sitcoms Featuring Families Of Color : Code Switch. NPR. Retrieved February 2, 2022, from https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2014/10/28/358307426/a-timeline-of-51-family-sitcoms-with-people-of-color
Cornell Law School. (n.d.). Affirmative Action | Wex | US Law | LII / Legal Information Institute. Legal Information Institute. Retrieved April 21, 2022, from https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/affirmative_action
Davis, E., Blye, A., Bearde, C., & Pollock, D. (Executive Producers). (1974 - 1975). That's My Mama! [TV series]. Blye-Bearde Productions; Pollock/Davis, Inc.; Columbia Pictures Television.
Dixon, T., Maddox, K.(2005). Skin tone, crime news, and social reality judgments: Priming the stereotype of the dark and dangerous black criminal. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 35(8), 1555-1570. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1559-1816.2005.tb02184.x
Dixon, T. (2019). Media Stereotypes - Content, Effects, Theory. In M. B. Oliver, A. A. Raney, & J. Bryant (Eds.), Media Effects: Advances in Theory and Research (pp. 243-251). Routledge. https://library.oapen.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.12657/41380/?sequence=1
Dowrich, M. (n.d.). For a Dark-Skinned Girl: A Retrospective Analysis on The History Of Colorism in America From 1950 to 1990. Women's History Theses, 48. https://digitalcommons.slc.edu/womenshistory_etd/48
Duclon, D., Leavitt, R., Moriarty, J., Miligan, M., Nicholl, D., Toss, M., Sunga, G., & West, B. (Executive Producers). (1975-1985). The Jeffersons [TV series]. T.A.T. Communications Company; NRW Productions; Ragamuffin Productions; Embassy Television.
Eberhardt, J., Davies, P., Purdie-Vaughns, V., & Johnson, S. L. (2006). Looking Deathworthy: Perceived Stereotypicality of Black Defendents Predicts Capital-Sentencing Outcomes. Psychological Science, 17, 383-386.
Farquhar, R., Finney, S., Spears, V., Edmonds, J., Hutcherson, W., & Johnson, F. (Executive Producers). (1996 - 2001). Moesha [TV series]. Regan Jon Productions; Saradipity Productions; Jump at the Sun Productions; Big Ticket Television.
Farrow, K., & Smith, R. F. (2019, January 10). How the Camera Sees Color. National Museum of African American History and Culture. Retrieved February 2, 2022, from https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/collection/how-camera-sees-color
Fisch, J., & Kaplan, V. (Executive Producers). (1991 - 1994). Roc [TV series]. HBO Independent Productions.
Freyberg, E. (1995). Sapphires, Spitfires, Slut and Superbitches: Aframericans and Latinas in Contemporary Hollywood Film. In Black Women in America (pp. 224-243). https://sk.sagepub.com/books/black-women-in-america/n12.xml
Gerbner, G. (1998). Cultivation Analysis: An Overview. Mass Communication and Society, 1(3-4), 175 - 194. Taylor & Francis Online. 10.1080/15205436.1998.9677855
Hall, R. (2019). The DuBoisian Talented Tenth: Reviewing and Assessing Mulatto Colorism in the Post-DuBoisian Era. Journal of African American Studies, 24(1), 78-95. EBSCO. 10.1007/s12111-019-09457-3
Harrison, M. (2006, August 15). Skin tone more important than educational background for African Americans seeking jobs. EurekAlert! https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/489467
Hunter, M. (2007). The Persistent Problem of Colorism: Skin Tone, Status, and Inequality. Sociology Compass, 1(1), 237-254. https://projects.iq.harvard.edu/files/deib-explorer/files/the_persistent_problem_of_colorism.pdf
Janollari, D., Boone, E., Greenblatt, R., Cross, D., Hoge, D., Boulware, B., Eells O'Connel, P., & Davis-Rodgers, O. (Executive Producers). (2001 - 2006). One on One [TV series]. The Greenblatt/Janollari Studio; Daddy's Girl Productions; Paramount Network Television.
Jones, Q., Salzman, D., Borowitz, A., Borowitz, S., Wendle, K., Pollack, J., Medina, B., Hervey, W., Miller, G., Gard, C., & Smith, W. (Executive Producers). (1990 - 1996). The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air [TV series]. The Stuffed Dog Company; Quincy Jones Entertainment; Quincy Jones-David Salzman Entertainment; NBC Productions.
Jones, T. (2000). Shades of Brown: The Law of Skin Color. Duke Law Journal, 49(6), 1487-1557.
Lear, N., & Yorkin, B. (Executive Producers). (1972 - 1977). Sanford and Son [TV series]. Tandem Productions.
Mai, E. (2021). Petition · Cancel 'Proud Family: Louder and Prouder' for Racist Portrayal of Darkskin Black Girls · Change.org. Change.org. Retrieved February 2, 2022, from https://www.change.org/p/the-walt-disney-company-cancel-proud-family-louder-and-prouder-for-racist-portrayal-of-darkskin-black-girls
Orenstein, B., Turteltaub, S., & Yorkin, B. (Executive Producers). (1976 - 1979). What's Happening!! [TV series]. Bud Yorkin Productions; TOY Productions.
Pastiche Training. (2017). Picture of the Fitzpatrick Scale Chart. Pastiche. https://pastiche-training.com/the-importance-of-photo-type-risk-assessment/
Rahman, M. (2020). The Causes, Contributors, and Consequences of Colorism Among Various Cultures. Honors College Theses, 71. https://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1069&context=honorstheses
Reo, D., Wayans, D., Himelfarb, D., Cadiff, A., & Lorey, D. (Executive Producers). (2001 - 2005). My Wife and Kids [TV series]. Wayans Bros. Entertainment; Impact Zone Productions; Touchstone Television.
RobbGrieco, M. (2014). Why History Matters for Media Literacy Education. The National Association for Media Literacy Education’s, 6(2), 3-22. https://digitalcommons.uri.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1155&context=jmle
Sebro, A., & Chen, L. (n.d.). Black television through the years | Moody College of Communication. Moody College of Communication. Retrieved April 21, 2022, from https://moody.utexas.edu/news/black-television-through-years
Smith, W., Pinkett Smith, J., Lassiter, J., Borns, B., Harris, A., & Strauss, J. (Executive Producers). (2003 - 2007). All of Us [TV series]. Overbrook Entertainment; Warner Bros. Television.
Song of Freedom Inc. (1936). Paul Robeson In the Song of Freedom. Google Arts & Culture. https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/paul-robeson-in-the-song-of-freedom-song-of-freedom-inc/gAFpVTXViQyuMg
Steele, C.K. (n.d.). Pride and Prejudice: Pervasiveness of Colorism and the Animated Series Proud Family. The Howard Journal of Communications, 27(1), 53-67. 10.1080/10646175.2015.1117028
Suresh, K. (2011). An overview of randomization techniques: An unbiased assessment of outcome in clinical research. Journal of Human Reproductive Sciences, 4(1), 8-11. 10.4103/0974-1208.82352
TV Guide. (n.d.). About Us. TV Guide. Retrieved February 1, 2022, from https://www.tvguide.com/about/
Willmore, L., Mac, B., Hutcherson, W., Tompkins, S., Aronson, P., & Borkow, M. (Executive Producers). (2001 - 2006). The Bernie Mac Show [TV series]. Wilmore Films; Regency Television; 20th Century Fox Television.
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
Copyright (c) 2022 Danae Dunlap; Soo Park
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Copyright holder(s) granted JSR a perpetual, non-exclusive license to distriute & display this article.
