In Hollywood, Representation of Marginalized People Has its Moment

Abstract

AbstractFor many decades, Hollywood movies contributed to the stereotyping of people of color. Although many of those stereotypes persist in contemporary works, the increasing number of works directed and produced by Black artists has generated some excellent movies, including 12 Years a Slave, Selma, Fruitvale Station, Time, Loving, and The Hate U Give, and TV series such as The Boondocks, Insecure, Queen Sugar, Atlanta, Black‐ish, The Chi, and Dear White People. No longer is Hollywood dependent on the voices of well‐intentioned white directors, who often relied on the tired myth of the white savior or hero who protects African Americans from injustice. Series such as Small Axe show how Black people have been working for justice on their own behalf for decades, whether recognized by whites or not. Representation in Hollywood is finally catching up with historical realities.