university of minnesota press revolution televised prime time and the struggle for black power oct 2004

[...]... experienced within the black community was a visited theme The Depression and eventually the post–World War II era brought 14 Reading the Roots of Resistance more aggressive social commentary and satire to the forefront of African American comedy The extreme level of poverty during the Depression created a level of despair, and the lack of response to the needs of African Americans exacerbated their anger... never-before-seen uprising and demand for change, made more public by the use of television The incorporation of these images of struggle inadvertently changed the face of the medium in both fiction and nonfiction genres Television of this time period has been ignored because of the shape of early African American cultural criticism, which considered black cultural works under the rubric of positive and negative... the shows and the performers involved were putting aside a race-specific agenda for the commercial payoff Being a sellout was a concept that truly evolved in the 1960s and ’70s with the possibilities of integration But the meanings underlying the term sellout were gauged by the racial projects of the major black political organizations of the time. 7 Exploring the term and its meanings illustrates the. .. nature of the minstrels’ behavior.26 Because of segregation in most forms of social interaction, African American humor was given a separate space to develop its specific characteristics African American blackface minstrelsy for segregated black audiences established venues for professional black performers and the development and expression of black humor By the early 1900s the evolution of the black. .. the Regal in Chicago, and other black theaters made up the Chitlin’ Circuit and became important settings for African American performers and audiences On northern doorsteps, members of the black middle class continued to fear the impression of black life that black performers gave to white audience members Interestingly enough, within comedy acts, the topic of racial prejudice based on skin tone and. .. the University of California–Davis Kent Ono and Sarah Projansky helped me to unhinge unnecessary “dissertation language and structure” and think through the direction of the project They provided and still provide true mentorship I would like to thank members of the program committee of African American and African Studies for their support as well as the Office of the Dean of Humanities, Arts, and. .. brought his own brand of black comedy and characterizations of black folk to NBC How did the xiv Introduction individual politics of Cornelius and Wilson impact these shows’ construction of blackness? Chapter 4 focuses on Redd Foxx and the mainstream format of the situation comedy Foxx is a crucial figure in the transition from black- only settings to a mainstream forum A veteran of the Theater Owners Booking... Count Basie, Ethel Waters, Bessie Smith, Moms Mabley, and Sammy Davis Jr., developed their skills on the TOBA Circuit Although the TOBA provided steady work for black performers and assured them payment, the theaters were often rundown Performers had to help with the setup of the theater and performed at least two shows a day, seven days a week Watkins states: [T]o many black entertainers, the acronym... within these black communal sites It was here that many black people found a sense of self-affirmation They garnered the strength to cope with the harsh reality of their public life and critiqued the white society that enslaved them and refused to acknowledge their status as human beings They also celebrated, relaxed, and enjoyed themselves away from the critical eyes of white society The Creation of Black. .. through forms of minstrelsy and blackface Minstrelsy was known for the mimicry of black dialect and the stereotypical physical characteristics—huge eyes, wide mouth, painted lips the essential lack of intelligence of the characters, and the notion that they were happy with plantation life African Americans participated in this form of entertainment when they rose in popularity as blackface minstrels at the . w0 h1" alt="" Revolution Televised This page intentionally left blank Revolution Televised Prime Time and the Struggle for Black Power Christine Acham University of Minnesota Press Minneapolis. ix Acknowledgments Revolution Televised: Prime Time and the Struggle for Black Power began while I was a graduate student at the University of South- ern California, and I would like to thank. Ameri- can and African Studies for their support as well as the Of ce of the Dean of Humanities, Arts, and Cultural Studies and the Vice Provost’s Of ce for the faculty development award and publication