American Studies Commons^™

Black Hollywood: The Stereotypes, Erasure, And Social Inclusivity Of Black Entertainers In Hollywood, 1930-60s, Jalen Thomas Robinson

Senior Projects Fall 2015

The purpose of my senior thesis paper involves the racial politics concerning the presence of African-American entertainers in Hollywood cinema. I will note the changes over time in how black entertainers-- whether they are musicians, dancers, singers, and actors--were typecast in stereotypical roles that defined how black culture would be represented. The beginning of my timeline starts with the limited opportunities applied to black talent on screen during the Great Depression in the 1930s, the social destabilization during World War II and the integration policies and awareness of racism as a social issue throughout the 1950s-1960s. More importantly, I will …