The Association of Magical Negroes is a concept that emerged in American literature and popular culture. The term "magical negro" was coined by film director Spike Lee in the early 2000s, but the archetype existed long before as a character trope in books, movies, and plays. The term refers to a supporting black character, often portrayed as wise, mystical, and possessing supernatural powers or knowledge. These characters typically exist to guide or assist white protagonists in their personal journeys or quests. They are portrayed as selfless, noble, and almost otherworldly, often with little to no backstory or personal development. While some argue that these characters can be seen as positive representations of black people, others argue that it perpetuates racial stereotypes and limits the agency and complexity of black characters.

Lovable Racists, Magical Negroes, and White Messiahs

Why do race relations appear to be getting worse instead of better since the election and reelection of the country's first black president? David Ikard speaks directly to us, in the first person, as a professor and father and also as self-described working-class country boy from a small town in North Carolina, His lively account teems with anecdotes--from gritty to elegant, sometimes scary, sometimes funny, sometimes endearing--that show how parasitically white identity is bound up with black identity in America. Ikard thinks critically about the emotional tenacity, political utility, and bankability of willful white blindness in the 21st century. A key to his analytic reflections on race highlights the three tropes of white supremacy which help to perpetuate willful white blindness, tropes that remain alive and well today as cultural buffers which afford whites the luxury of ignoring their racial privilege and the cost that blacks incur as a result of them. The tropes are: lovable racists, magical negroes, and white messiahs. Ikard is definitely reformist: teachers, parents, students, professors can use such tropes to resist the social and psychological dangers presented by seemingly neutral terms and values which in fact wield white normative power. The lovable racist trope encourages whites to see racism as a minor character flaw (Ikard includes commentary on the "good" slaveowner, William Ford, in Twelve Years a Slave, and offers up examples of the veneer of lovability that attaches to xenophobic, racist presidential candidate Donald Trump). The white messiah trope serves to conflate whiteness with goodness, godliness, and other virtues (extended discussion of Santa Claus or Bill Clinton makes for fun reading, as does Ikard's teasing out of messiah patterns in movie scripts like The Green Mile and Avatar). The magical negro trope situates blacks as mascots or surrogates for affirmations of white humanity (Uncle Tom and Nigger Jim are just two examples, and President Obama employed the trope with subtlety in both of his campaigns). In general, this book investigates the tenacity and cultural capital of white redemption narratives in literature and popular media from Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin to Kathryn Stockett's best-selling book (and movie blockbuster), The Help.

Содержание

Introduction

Lovable Racists and the Crisis of Authorship in Twelve Years a Slave

White Innocence as an Apparatus of Oppression

Distraction as a Strategy to Oppress

Rosa Parks Magical Negroes and the Whitewashing of Black Struggle

Eracing White Myths for the Health and WellBeing of Our Children

Coda

Notes

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Lovable Racists, Magical Negroes, and White Messiahs
David Ikard
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David Ikard
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David Ikard is professor and director of African American and diaspora studies at Vanderbilt University. He is the author of Breaking the Silence: Toward a Black Male Feminist Criticism and Blinded by the Whites: Why Race Still Matters in the 21st Century, as well as coauthor of Nation of Cowards: Black Activism in Barack Obama’s Post-Racial America.

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CLA Journal

While some argue that these characters can be seen as positive representations of black people, others argue that it perpetuates racial stereotypes and limits the agency and complexity of black characters. The Association of Magical Negroes is a satirical concept that highlights the problematic nature of this archetype and calls for more nuanced and diverse portrayals of black characters in media. The idea behind the Association of Magical Negroes is to draw attention to the lack of authentic representation and the need for more three-dimensional black characters.

No Crips Allowed: Magical Negroes, Black Superheroes, And the Hyper-Abled Black Male Body In Steven Spielberg's Amistad and Ryan Coogler's Black Panther

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No Crips Allowed: Magical Negroes, Black Superheroes, And the Hyper-Abled Black Male Body In Steven Spielberg's Amistad and Ryan Coogler's Black Panther

Initially, it might seem odd to discuss shared racial tropes in Amistad and Black Panther. Not only were the movies created over two decades apart, the films belong to entirely different cinematic genres. Steven Spielberg's Amistad (1997) is a historical period drama that is based on the true story of an armed insurrection aboard a 19 th century slave ship. Ryan Coogler's Black Panther (2018) is a fantasy film that focuses on a futuristic advanced mythical kingdom in Africa that produces superheroes. Nevertheless, these films are connected by their subject matter and a recurring strategy. At their cores, both films emphasize Black resistance to the white supremacy that trans-Atlantic slavery and European imperialism necessitated. Both films deploy as strategy the hyper-abled Black male body as a tool for resisting white supremacy and colonialism.

I call attention to the hyper-abled Black male body in these two films specifically to focus on the Black disability that trans-Atlantic slavery produced. I am writing along the lines of Nirmala Erevelles brilliant reading of Hortense Spillers's now-classic essay "Mama's Baby, Papa's Maybe," in which producing and maintaining slavery required the impairment of Black bodies. The racialization of slavery meant that Blackness was always impaired, or, as Erevelles concludes, it was "at the historical moment when one class of human beings was transformed into cargo to be transported to the New World that Black bodies become disabled and disabled bodies become black." 1 On the one hand, Amistad reflects upon the trans-Atlantic slave experience, while Black Panther showcases a Black nation that was spared this terrible ordeal; yet, both create magical worlds in which Black people are hyper-abled. Subsequently, in this essay, I examine the limits of the hyper-abled Black body as a tool of resistance; I also raise the question of whether such a dependence upon a specific gendered type--hyper-abled masculinity--reproduces a logic of white supremacy that equates Blackness with physicality, yet simultaneously denies Black intellect, therefore refuting political agency, or the rights of citizenship. [End Page 52]

It aims to challenge the notion that black characters exist solely to serve or support white characters, and advocates for the exploration of their own stories, experiences, and perspectives. The Association of Magical Negroes serves as a critique of the entertainment industry's tendency to rely on stereotypes, and encourages writers, filmmakers, and artists to create complex, fully realized black characters with their own motivations, flaws, and aspirations. In recent years, there has been a growing movement to challenge and dismantle racial stereotypes in media. The call for more authentic representation has led to the creation of diverse stories and characters that reflect the realities and rich diversity of black experiences. As the Association of Magical Negroes concept gains traction, it serves as a reminder of the importance of diversity and inclusion in storytelling, and the power of representation to shape perceptions and challenge harmful stereotypes..

Reviews for "Magical Negroes and the Black Lives Matter Movement"

- Rebecca - 1 star

I found "Association of magical negroes" to be extremely disappointing. The writing style was immature and simplistic, lacking the depth and complexity that I was expecting. The plot felt forced and predictable, with no real surprises or interesting twists. The characters were one-dimensional and lacked any sort of development, making it difficult for me to connect or care about their experiences. Overall, I was not impressed with this book and would not recommend it to others.

- Jonathan - 2 stars

I had high hopes for "Association of magical negroes" based on the intriguing premise, but unfortunately, it fell short of my expectations. The pacing was incredibly slow, dragging out the story without a compelling reason. The author seemed to rely heavily on clichés and stereotypes, rather than delving into more nuanced and thoughtful portrayals. The dialogue also felt stilted and unnatural, making it difficult for me to fully engage with the story. While there were some interesting ideas presented, they were ultimately overshadowed by the lackluster execution.

- Sarah - 2 stars

I struggled to connect with "Association of magical negroes" on multiple levels. The writing style felt pretentious and self-indulgent, making it difficult for me to fully immerse myself in the story. The characters lacked depth and authenticity, coming across as mere caricatures rather than fully realized individuals. Additionally, the plot meandered without a clear direction, causing the narrative to lose its focus. Overall, this book left me feeling underwhelmed and unsatisfied.

The Symbolic Meaning and Function of Magical Negroes in Fiction