Donald Bogle's Five Archetypes For The Portrayals Of African American Film

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Film Historian Donald Bogle, the author of “Toms, Coons, Mulattoes, Mammies, & Bucks: An Interpretive History of Blacks in American Films,” offers compelling and informative examples of various stereotypes of African-Americans performers. He emphasizes on historical characteristics of gifted black actors/entertainers; renovating their roles to disseminate specific representations that are significant to the economics and history of America’s shifting environmental circumstances. According to Donald Bogle, the Five Archetypes for the Portrayals of African Americans include the following: The "Tom," Kind-hearted and submissive black man; well-liked and willing to endure white domination. The "Coon," Selfish, ignorant and has no drive in life;

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