MASARYK UNIVERSITY BRNO

FACULTY OF EDUCATION

Department of English Language and Literature

Bachelor Thesis

Oscars for African-American Actors

Brno 2017

Autor: Blanka Danielová Supervisor: Mgr. Jiří Šalamoun, Ph.D.

Proclamation

Prohlašuji, že jsem závěrečnou bakalářskou práci vypracovala samostatně, s

využitím pouze citovaných pramenů, dalších informací a zdrojů v souladu s

Disciplinárním řádem pro studenty Pedagogické fakulty Masarykovy univerzity a se

zákonem č. 121/2000 Sb., o právu autorském, o právech souvisejících s právem

autorským a o změně některých zákonů (autorský zákon), ve znění pozdějších předpisů.

I declare that I have worked on this thesis independently, using only the primary

and secondary sources listed in the bibliography.

Brno, 30 November 2017

………………………………………

Author’s signature

Acknowledgements

I would like to express my sincere appreciation to my supervisor, Mgr. Jiří

Šalamoun, Ph.D., for hir constant guidance and encouragement without which this work

would not have been possible. I am sincerely grateful for his unwavering support.

Anotace

Tato bakalářská práce s názvem “Oscaři ve vztahu k afroamerickým hercům” se

zabývá čtyřmi filmy, které získaly Oscary v kategorii za nejlepší mužský herecký výkon.

Během 88 let, kdy se koná udílení Oscarů, jen čtyři filmy (ve kterých hraje hlavní roli

Afroameričan) získali tuto sošku. Cíl této bakalářské práce je dokázat, že mezi těmito

čtyřmi filmy existuje jistá podobnost. Tato podobnost se vyskytuje ve filmových

postavách, které jsou založeny na určitých filmových stereotypech. Vedle známých

stereotypů jako je Strýček Tom, černošský hejsek a dětinský černoch se v devadesátých

letech objevují nové variace těchto stereotypů; kouzelný černoch, nejlepší černošský

přítel, zločinec a slavná osoba. Charakter a chování těchto postav je srovnáván s výše

zmíněnými stereotypy.

Annotation

The Bachelor thesis “Oscars for African-American Actors” deals with four films

that have won the Oscars in the category of Best Male Actress. Within the period of

eighty-eight years only four Oscars for Best Actor in a Leading role have belonged to

male African American actors. The aim of the Bachelor thesis is to prove that there is a

certain similarity among the four films. This similarity occurs in film characters based

on certain film stereotypes. In addition to well-known stereotypes such as Uncle Tom,

Black Buck and Coon, new variations of these stereotypes appeared in the 1990´s;

Magical Negro, Black Best Friend, Thug and Famous Person. The character and

behavior of these fillm roles is compared with the above-mentioned stereotypes.

Klíčová slova

Sidney Poitier, film stereotypes, Denzel Washington, Thug, Magical Negro, Jamie Fox,

Famous Person, Black Best Friend, Forest Whitaker, oscaři, spojitost mezi filmovými

rolemi a stereotypy týkající se Afroameričanů, Uncle Tom, Black Buck, Coon

Keywords

Sidney Poitier, film stereotypes, Denzel Washington, Thug, Magical Negro, Jamie Fox,

Famous Person, Black Best Friend, Forest Whitaker, Oscars, connection between film

roles and African American stereotypes, Uncle Tom, Black Buck, Coon

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Introduction.............................................................................................................. 1

CHAPTER I

1 History of the African American Motion Picture Industry..................................3

1.1 African American Motion Picture Industry 2000-2017.................................... 8

CHAPTER II

2 Prejudices and myths of African Americans...................................................... 11

2.1 Basic male typology of stereotypes...................................................................12

2.1.a Uncle Tom...................................................................................................... 12

2.1.b The Coon........................................................................................................ 13

2.1.c Black Buck.................................................................................................... 14

CHAPTER III

3 Innovative offshoots of well-known stereotypes.................................................14

3.1 Black Best friend............................................................................................... 15

3.2 Magical Negro....................................................................................................16

3.3 Thug .................................................................................................................17

3.4 Famous person....................................................................................................18

CHAPTER IV

4 Analysis of the selected films.............................................................................20

4.1 Lilies Of The Field............................................................................................20

4.2 Training Day......................................................................................................23

4.3 Ray.....................................................................................................................26

4.4 The Last King Of Scotland................................................................................28

5 Conclusion...........................................................................................................31

6 Work Cited..........................................................................................................32

1

Introduction

This thesis analyses four Oscar films (Oscars for Best Actor in a Leading role) are

Lilies of the Field (1963), Training Day (2001), Ray (2004) and The last King of

Scotland (2006) and exemplifies that all these four film roles arise from unchanging

film stereotypes. They do not offer the audience other unexpected aspects in the roles.

The spectator has been forced to watch only few characters based on black stereotypes,

no matter which African American actor plays the main role, for more than eighty years.

The thesis will gather evidence that even when these films differ in a period of time, a

plot and a style of narration, they have one thing in common; stereotypical behaviour

patterns.

The thesis focuses on Oscar winning films with Best Actor in a Leading role,

therefore the stereotypes concern only African African men; not women. The first

chapter desctribes the history of African American motion pictures industry regarding to

significant film turns of African American actors and persistence of stereotypical roles.

The second chapter concerns with commonly known streotypes and myths of

African Americans, basic typology of film male stereotypes such as Uncle Tom, the

Coon and Black Buck and modern offshoots Best Black friend, Magical Negro, Thug

and Famous person which have emerged in the last thirty years. The focus on general

stereotypes and myths will serve mainly to an interpretation of the newest stereotype;

Famous person. This stereotype depict famous figures such as politicians, criminals,

musicians and sportspeople and the film roles are based on combination of several

stereotypes and myths.

2

Last chapter is dedicated to analysis of thefour Oscar winning films and analysis of

a connection between the film roles of a main protagonist and stereotypes of African

American male people. My convictions and conclusions are supported both by a

collection of information taken from books written on the subject and from my own

research.

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CHAPTER I

1 African American actors in the motion picture industry

This thesis focuses on African American actors therefore bigger emphasis on male

stereotypes is given, even though a few commentaries on female stereotypes are

presented as well. A list of significant film milestones shows how the history of motion

picture industry has been connected with types of films where African American actors

play a lead or supporting role. “The first presentation of African Americans was

portrayed in minstrel shows (1830-1890) which were staged by white male travelling

musicians. African Americans who have appeared on a film screen, were white actors

with make-up who pretended to be African Americans. They overstated lips with a red

colour around their mouth and wore flashy costumes. Terms Jim Crow and Zip Coon

presenting male African Americans were introduced in the 1830´s. A white actor

Thomas ´Daddy´ Rice danced a jig and sang a song ´Jump Jim Crow´ and George

Dixon created Zip Coon who behaved in an arrogant way and spoke made a mockery of

free blacks” (Padgett, 2013, [online]). Those two caricatures which presented African

Americans turned into one stereotype called the Coon. As Donald Bogle mentions those

minstrel shows were very popular and were used “to entertain by stressing Negro

inferiority” (10). After the Coon a new stereotype called Uncle Tom was introduced by

a director Edwin S. Porter, in a 1903 film Uncle Tom's Cabin. That stereotype presented

male African American as a happy slave (Keller, 2017, [online]). First female

stereotype the Mammy, as Jody Watley states, “was the first black woman stereotype

between 1800´s to the 1950´s. An example of this stereotype is illustrated in Gone with

the Wind (1939) where Hattie McDaniel plays the Mammy” (2008, [online]).

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One of the most remarkable films which offers a vision of history and presents

African Americans in stereotypical roles, is the film The Birth of a Nation (1915). “It

tells a story about two families; the Stonemans of the North and the Camerons of the

South during the American Civil War, the Reconstruction era and presenting positive

portrayal of the Ku Klux Klan” (Lehr and Pfeiffer, 2017, [online]). Several Black male

stereotypes were introduced to viewers in that film, I would mention a few of them such

as a lazy, childich Coon and untrustworthy, savage and dumb rapist of white women

named Brutal Buck.1 The Birth of a Nation launched a negative attitude of presenting

African Americans and the negative point of view has persisted till the present. Richard

Brody who writes notes on blockbuster movies, independent films, and documentaries,

excuses the director of The Birth of a Nation D.W. Griffith when he states that “The real

crime was not Griffith’s, but the world’s… They saw only what Griffith wanted to say

but not what the movie showed, and, upon seeing what Griffith showed, were ready to

take up arms in anger. Ambient and accepted racism left viewers ignorant of the facts

and prone to accept Griffith’s racist version as authentic” (2013, [online]).

1 The film was number one in many points of view. D.W. Griffith was the first director whose film wasthe first full-scale long narrative containing a lot of innovative cinematic techniques in film-making andit was the first film that showed the world about the potential of cinema, but The Birth of a Nation is alsoseen as one of the most racist films ever made. As Tom Brook says “The film argues that giving blackpeople rights was a terrible, terrible error, that they did all sorts of horrible things that actually theydidn’t do, and that the noble Ku Klux Klan (KKK) was this wonderful saviour that saved America. Itcouldn’t be any more wrong” ” (2015, [online]).

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The era of 1930´s and 1940´s was characterized by films called “race movies”. 2

The late 1940´s was a period of time when black image slightly began to change. “It

was not because of the change of thinking of the society and the motion picture industry

in general, but there were three factors which influenced Hollywood´s portrayal of

African American actors; firstly they put pressure on government because of

discrimination in industry, secondly NAACP, National Association for the

Advancement of Colored People, negotiated with Hollywood conditions of presentation

African American actors in films and employed African Americans in a film industry

generally. Finally, the growth of television industry caused an increasing interest of

viewers in the cinema industry” (Simpson, 20).

Films began to reflect more optimistic liberal trend, where black film images show

elements of humanity, dignity and courage. I would mention for instance a film called

The Negro Soldier (1944), which was a documentation of African Americans in

American military history and praised by coloured journalists. The first half of the film

stresses successes of African Americans as lawyers, musicians, athletes, and other

valued professions, instead of showing them only as slaves or subservients. The second

half of the film then highlights a life story of one African American soldier and his

important role in the Second World War to show that also minority is worthy.3

2 Race movies as a respond of Northern Blacks answered to The Birth of a Nation. Oscar Micheaux, anindependent black filmaker, along with Spencer Williams and other producers of "race movies"producedfilms that dealt with black themes. “As these films were shown in segregated black venues and madeoutside of the Hollywood system, they were largely forgotten by film historians and made little impacton the white-dominated cinema culture” (Brown, 5). An example of race movies of that era is The BlackKing (1932) a film based on the career of Marcus Garvey, a fictionalized leader, who organized a Back-to-Africa movement among blacks in the United States.

3 In different films during this time period, African Americans were often portrayed as humorouscharacters. However, after The Negro Soldier, African Americans began to play more respectable andprominent roles in films.

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During the early 1950´s African Americans appeared in leading roles in several

Hollywood major productions, which focussed on the serious problems of integration

and racism. Justin Gomer, an author of online platform for public scholarship on global

black thought, history, and culture called Black Perspectives shares a similar point of

view when he says, “Mainstream movie audiences looked to a dependable African

American actor who touches interracial relationships and question of race equality in

the form of Sidney Poiter” (2017, [online]).

One of his first film was Edge of the City (1957), co-starring John Cassavetes and

directed by Martin Ritt. Poitier’s character is labeled as a character of ‘black self

sacrifice’ this feature is one of the most singnificant ones of the stereotype Uncle Tom.

The film also introduces a new formula; a presentation of a black and white buddy film

formula which depicts a black and white person coming from different backgrounds

relate to class and race, where the black person; again Uncle Tom who helps the other

person even when he can lose his life.

The film Edge of the City tells a story of a young drifter Axel Nordmann (John

Cassavetes) who becomes a friend with Tommy Tyler (Sidney Poitier), when they work

in docks. Tommy manifests as a mentor to Axel and viewers can see a kind of

relatioship between a father and his son. Malick, a leader of the docks, does not agree

with this friendship. One day, Malick and Axel begin to guarrel and a skirmish is

comming. Suddenly Tommy appears and tries to avert the fight. Malick is so angry that

he starts to get at Tommy. They fight and in the end Tommy is killed. That scene is a

great example of not only the Uncle Tom´s stereotypical behaviour when a black slave

is able to protect his white master and loses his life but also a demostration of the black

and white buddy film formula, where a black mentor helps regulate white friend´s

behaviour.

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The 1960´s and 1970´s are connected with blaxploitation films. Films such as Shaft

(1972), Superfly (1972) and Scream Blacula (1973) offered flashy lead roles to black

actors, but action and grit often overshadowed character development and plotlines.

Although there were more African Americans in the cinema, old stereotypes reemerged.

The well-known Black Buck stereotype was transformed into a more modern Buck. As

Yvonne Sims, an Assistant Professor, states that “the target viewers were African

Americans and that the aim of the films was breaking “existing film stereotypes by

presenting self-possessed black men (and occasionally women, notably Pam Grier) in

control of their own destinies” (2015, [online]).4 The film were about African

Americans for African Americans.

The 1980´s and the 1990´s presented a major turning point for African Americans

in films. Interracial film had become more present. African Americans took on more

powerful roles in films. ‘“The “New Black Wave”, from the 1980´s (led by directors

such as Spike Lee and John Singleton) was the culmination of a century of filmmaking

and yearning. Films such as Do the Right Thing (1989) and Boys N The Hood (1991)

tackled serious topics that crossed racial lines and appealed to mainstream audiences”’

(Liversidge, 2003, [online]). During that time the motion picture industry learned that

there was a large black audience, “eager for movies with specific African American

cultural references, subjects, issues, and stars”, as Bogle explains in his book (27).

4 One of the most significant directors of that era was Melvin Van Peebles. Peebles’s film SweetSweeteback ´s Badasss Song (1971) represented a major milestone in Black Hollywood. “It forcedHollywood to acknowledge the monetary potential of the untapped, urban African-American market(similar to the effect Easy Rider (1969) had on its countercultural audiences) as a result of this influentialfilm” (Dirks, [online]).

8

During the 1980´s and the 1990´s mainstream cinema and TV audiences were

getting honest, intelligent portrayals of African American life and US history from a

black perspective in serious thrillers Devil in a Blue Dress and Deep Cover, or a

historical drama about African-American women called Daughters of the Dust (1991)

(Rose, 2014 [online]).5

1.1 Motion picture industry of the 21st century

The new millennium came with no Oscar nominations for African Americans.

However, the following year 2001 offered two major victories for African Americans at

the Academy. Denzel Washington and Halle Berry won the awards for best actor and

best actress. As this thesis focuses on African American actors, I will not mention the

role of Halle Berry. Denzel Washington received the Oscar for a role of a criminal

detective based on the stereotype of the Black Buck and his offshoot-the Thug in

Training Day (2001). Films of the last two decades have offered quite tedious stories.

Even when some film roles transformed into more serious ones, for instance stories

about great famous African American persons, the motion picture industry still

promotes stereotypical film roles to African American actors.

Denzel Washington, Jamie Fox and Will Smith are names of actors who have often

been appearing in films since 2000. All these three above mentioned actors played roles

of great famous African American people. To give a few examples I will present film

Ali (2001), a documentary drama about the boxing legend played by Will Smith or

5 Black film-makers were called as the class of 91. During the 1990´s Spike Lee made practically a film ayear; Do the Right Thing (1989),Mo´ Better Blues (1990), Jungle Fever (1991),Malcolm X (1992),Crooklyn (1994) and Clockers (1995). The 90´s was a golden age, rappers and musicians appeared into afilm as well: Ice T, Queen Latifah and Tupac Shakur.

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Jamie Fox as Ray Charles in Ray (2004) and Denzel Washington who portrayes an

activist Malcolm X in a film of the same name Malcolm X (1992). These roles are not

wholly based only on the negative characteristic features of stereotypes, such as

violence and criminality of Thug (Training day, 2001) or immeasurable willingness to

help the white protagonist which is the most singinificant attribute of Black best friend

(Men in Black, 1997-2007), they depict a life story of great African American people.

But the autobiography of famous black people is mostly presented as a heartbreaking

story, yet here is not much wider scope for other serious roles.

Still persiting stereotypes can be found in films which address to story of a slave

who attempts to free himself or his family; Django Unchained (2012), 12 Years a Slave

(2013) and Something whispered (2014). As Paul Finkelman claims in his book

Encyclopedia of African American History, “That is the reality which American motion

industry offers to audiences. African Americans may be scoring more substantial parts

in film and television, but many continue to play roles that fuel stereotypes, such as

thugs and maids. Some portrayals are more direct than others, but they definitely still

exist” (209).

The year 2013 was considered a good year when three African American actors

were nominated for the Oscar. 6 Two roles about slaves and one role of Thug did not

receive the Oscar. As Huffington Post editor Kia Makarechi noted in his piece

“Hollywood’s ‘Race Problem’ Is Worse Than You Think,” that African American

actors are only rewarded for roles that literally could not have been given to white

actors” (2013, [online]). He enumerates a list of films with black men Best Actor

6 Halle Berry, a famous African American actress thinks and discuss Oscar awards in connection toAfrican American players in an article Oscar Honors Minorities for Playing Stereotypes, HistoricalFigures and states,“Barkhad Abdi received a Best Supporting Actor nod for his role as a terrorist thug inCaptain Phillips, Chiwetel Ejiofor earned a Best Actor nod as a free man–a violinist in 1840 in NewYork–taken across state lines and sold into slavery as a field worker in 12 Years a Slave. The dramaearned Lupita Nyong’o a Best Supporting Actress award for portraying a slave” (2016, [online]).

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nominations where the main character is an African American famous person therefore

this kind of role can not be played by a white actor.

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CHAPTER II

2 Prejudices and myths of African Americans

Myths were created to justify inhumane conditions of the past, originated from the

era of enslavement of African Americans. Russia Robinson´s essay “Slavery Supporters:

Racism and Stereotypes of African American Slavery” claims that myths come from

religion which justifies slavery and racial dominance, when she states “Africans were

made for enslavement by God because of the references to slavery in the Bible and

people of dark skin. This includes the notion that Abraham had slaves, biblical stories of

the Hebrew slaves, and the references made towards “servants” in the Ten

Commandments. Robinson also mentions scientists who declare that African American

brain is smaller therefore they are less intelligent than white people” (2014, [online]).

There are numerous myths and stereotypes that people of other races believe about

blacks. African Americans are presented on the one hand as an unintelligent person,

violent criminal or a great musician and sportsman on the other hand. The myths expect

that firstly an African American is a lazy silly man who need to be controlled by a

´white master´; secondly an African American who behaves as a gangster usually

addicted to drugs and finally, a great contrast to these negative depictions of black men;

a sportsman with colossal power. Jane P. Sheldon´s scientific contribution in her essay

“White Americans’ Genetic Explanations for a Perceived Race Difference in

Athleticism: The Relation to Prejudice toward and Stereotyping of Blacks” explains that

“This black superiority traces its roots into social Darwinism hypotheses explaining that

the hardships of slavery resulted only in the physically fittest Africans in the United

States surviving and reproducing” (2007, [online]). The last commonly known myth of

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African Americans is a talented person of colour with a phenomenal voice. It comes

again from slavery time, when workers could sing during their working time. As I have

done a deep research of Oscar winning films I would declare that these myths and

stereotypes are still apparent in American films. They serve as prototypes of film

stereotypes which I will describe in following text.

2.1 Basic male typology

2.1a Uncle Tom

The most common film stereotype depicts usually an old, happy and submissive

slave. As Donald Bogle, a historian and an author of books related to African

Americans in film and on television, states in his book Toms, coons, mulattoes,

mammies, and bucks that “The first male black American character Uncle Tom, was

portrayed as a harassed, enslaved and insulted servant who never turns against his white

master faces” (4). And what is more, Uncle Tom is able to sell himself to help his

master when it is needed. The willingness to endanger his own life to save master life is

apparent in one of the first silent films called The Confederate Spy (1910) which tells a

story of an Uncle Daniel (as Uncle Tom) who becomes a spy in a period od Civil War

to help his master to defeat querrilas. A webpage called imdb. com, which collect film

plots, photos and user reviews, presents itself as ´The leading information resource for

the entertainment industry´describes the final scene of The Confederate Spy when the

danger is averted and his master gazes on Uncle Daniel, he murmurs gently, "It was for

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massa sake and little missa"(2015, [online]).7 This stereotype is presented in the first

analysed film The Lilies Of The Field (1963), where Sidney Poitier plays the main role.

2.1b The Coon

Contrary to the Uncle Tom, a lazy comedian called the Coon appeared in films.

“Normally a male, he is known for single-mindedness, childlike behaviour and his

ability to delay gratification” (Leonard, 126). There were two variations of this type: the

Pickaninny and the Uncle Remus. Bogle explains typical behaviour of these two types;

“The first type was played by a black child actor who was a harmless, crazy creation.

The second one presented a congenial and naive comedian” (7). The Coon acts childish,

even he is an adult. He seems not to be happy as a servant but because of his laziness

and cynical attitude he does not try to change his low position.

Imdb.com mentions that “The first Coon appearance can be seen in a film Wooing

and Wedding of a Coon (1905), which is “a stupendously racist portrayal of two

dimwitted and stuttering buffoons” (2010, [online]). The film is about an African

American couple. A young man (the Coon) dates with a nursemaid, gives her a lot of

presents and pretends true love to her. She is enchanted by his behavior. Next scene is

located in the girl´s house where she introduces her boyfriend to her parents and they

agree with their marriage. Not long after the ceremony the Coon changed his behavior.

Instead of well-ordered life with his wife, he starts smoking and drinking. He also

becomes a gambler and he loses not only his money but also his clothes. The film ends

with a scene where his wife beats him because she is disgusted with his attitude. This

brief description of the film plot points out typical characteristics of the Coon stereotype

7 As Gabriel Dexter states,“In the silent films Confederate Spy (1910) and For Massa’s Sake (1911),faithful Uncles spy for the Confederacy, sell themselves back into slavery and sacrifice their lives,literally, “for massa’s sake.” Uncle remains loyal, fighting in defense of their former masters” (2013,[online]).

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such as his naivety and childisch behaviour. The man does not live solidly, he spends

his time in dubious saloons. He is as frivolous person as the Coon.8

2.1c Black Buck

Not all stereotypical representations of African Americans are depicted as peaceful

as Uncle Tom. The Coon is depicted as a harmless fool. “But the final character Black

Buck is shown as a violent, savage man, longing for a white woman” (Bogle, 7). Only

Black Buck stereotype presents completely negative character. The Black Buck´s high-

powered sexuality forced him to harass and rape any white woman.

All the stereotypes such as Uncle Tom, the Coon and Black Buck first appeared

in The Birth of a Nation (1915). They have occured in films since the begining of the

motion picture industry and generalized and oversimplified the personality of African-

Americans. David Pilgrim generalizes depictions of African Americans in film when he

says, “These stereotypes come from the period of time of slavery when the whites

believed that African Americans are inferior to them and deserve to be slaves. They

recognized African Americans only as irresponsible childich persons (the Coons),

violent rapists (Black Bucks) or happy submissive men (Uncle Toms)” (2012, [online]).

3 Innovative offshoots of well-known stereotypes

There are four new modern male offshoots which were originated from the basic

typology of stereotypes. An Archetype for a Magical Negro and Black Best Friend

comes from Uncle Tom. The third new type, which is depicted as a bad black man, is

called Thug and is derived from Black Buck stereotype. The last modern image of a

8 “Films of that era, whether played by a white or not, presented African Americans as comic andignorant stooge” (Ukadike, 37)

15

black male film character, Famous person, introduces spectators African American

people who are for a variety of reasons significant and deserve their attentions.

3.1 Black Best Friend

According to my research of new ofshoots of well-known stereotypes, Black best

Friend firstly apperad in the 1990´s. Nadra Kareem Nittle, an experienced journalist

who reports on a wide range of issues, including race, describes Best Black Friend´s

characteristic featurure, “BBF plays a significant centre role when supporting a white

character. Viewers do not know much about his own life but the Black best friend turns

up at exactly the right moment to coach white characters through life” (2017, [online]).

A classic of the prototype of Black Best Friend is depicted in a film The Shawshank

Redemption (1994) where Morgan Freeman´s character acts as a friend and helps his

fellow prisoner played by Tim Robbins to escape from the prison even when Morgan

endangers his own life.9 Apart from Nittle another of the typical characteristics of Black

Best Friend are mentioned by Maurice Mcleod, a social commentator and vice chair of

social policy research organisation Race on the Agenda. “If you talk jive or in broken

English even though everyone around doesn´t, you might be a BBF (Black Best Friend).

Think of early films of Eddie Murphy or Richard Pryor or virtually anything with Chris

Tucker. If you are wise, confident and funny but you have no life goals of your own,

other than making money, getting laid and serving the interests of your white friend,

you might be a BBF. If you spend all of your time at your friend´s house and very little

in your own home, the prognosis isn´t good” (2015, [online]). Best Black Friend

9 Black Best Friend is concerned also with African American actresses. In comedy-drama television seriesAlly McBeal (1997-2002) African american actress Lisa Nicole Carson played friend to Calista Flockharand a black actress Aisha Tyler played friend to Jennifer Love Hewitt on The Ghost Whisperer (2005-2010).

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behaves as a caretaker, always willing to help his white companion. That resembles the

old stereotype Uncle Tom I would say.

3.2 Magical Negro

Magical Negro as a modernized version of Uncle Tom have long played key roles in

films and television programs. African-American filmmaker Spike Lee popularized the

term, deriding the archetype of the "super-duper magical negro" in 2001. These characters

have special powers and use them mainly to help the white protagonist. Nnedi Okorafor-

Mbachu describes common characteristic of the stereotype Magical Negro in his article

“Stephen King's Super-Duper Magical Negroes” when he says that “They are either

uneducated and mentally handicapped or wise, patient, and spiritually in touch. The

Magical Negro is like the happy slave, glad to do anything to help the white character”

(2004, [online]).

There are many films where the stereotype Magical Negro appears, especially from

the last twenty years. I would mention one film and that is The Green Mile (1999). The

film tells mainly a story of two men´s kind of friendship between a white ward Paul

Edgecombe and an African American prisoner John Coffey. John, accused of raping and

murdering two young girls and sentenced to death does not hesitate to help the white ward

and even ward´s wife when he finds out that they suffer from serious health problems.

John´s magical power manifests not only in his ability of speedy recovery of people but he

can also get into people´s minds. He touches a body part of a person, usually a hand or a

top of the head to connect to their minds. One evening John touches Paul and shows him

the true story about killing the two young girls. Paul finds out that John is innocent.

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I have pointed to this part of film to display the connection between Magical Negro

and Uncle Tom stereotype. John´s uses his magical abilities to help the whites even when

he could feel dissappointed and racorous as he is innocent and there is no chance of being

pardoned. And also when he cures Paul´s wife in their house, he was told to leave the

prison for an hour (other prison wards were aware of it and agreed). John could not bother

to do it but as a loyal slave and servant, he did what he was asked without any doubts

(Uncle Tom´s feature of being a loyal slave). Juan Arteaga mentions this being a loyal

slave in this article “Hollywood's 6 Favorite Offensive Stereotypes” when he states “Notice

that the Magical Negro's powers are not in any way due to his own work or training at all.

He's no Batman. And why do they have to be prisoners or janitors again?Also, notice that

they're still acting as the servant here. They only exist in the story to help the lead white

character” (2008, [online]).

3.3 Thug

A Thug is a modern day Black Buck character. He is an animalistic, violent,

hypersexual and criminal. There’s no shortage of black male actors playing drug dealers,

pimps, con-artists and other forms of criminals in television shows and films such as

Training Day (2001) and Dirty (20005). Training Day is an Oscar winning film so I will

pay attention to this film in last chapter where I analyze it. To show briefly the Thug

stereotype I describe the plot of the film Dirty. It tells a story inspired by a Rampart

scandal.10 A film and music critic Stephen Holden describes the film, “Two corrupted

10 Todd E. Bricker, a co-author of SAGE Publications’s Encyclopedia of Race and Crime (2009)describes the events connected with the scandal.“Los Angeles police department created antigang unitscalled CRASH to decrease violence and criminality in one part of the town. Police officers mixed withthe gang members and after some times they were successful in reducing the criminality. At that theywere engaged in corrupt behaviour such as stealing and selling drugs. In 1998 a police officer RafaelPerez was arrested because he was suspected of stealing cocaine valued at more than $1 million from apolice evidence locker. To have an opportunity for a reduced sentence, he agreed to cooperate withinvestigators and provided information on more than 70 officers, including police supervisors who werecorrupted” (2009, [online]).

18

cops (an African American cop Salim Adel played by Cuba Gooding and a Mexican

cop Armando Sancho played by Clifton Collin Jr.) reduce criminality and violence in

Los Angeles by using power and sharp practices” (2006,[online]). Sancho as a former

gangmember takes advantages of his earlier experiences from the street to fight and beat

the gangs but as the main protagonists says, “I loved being a gangster. I loved my body

maybe that´s why I became a cop. With that power came responsibility and with

responsibilty came opportunity, with opportunity came corruption” (trailer of “Dirty”

00:00:25-43).

The film is full of scenes where these two cops both behave violenty and

criminally, I would mention for instance scenes with harassment and humilitation of

white drivers, raping a teenage girl and stealing a bag of drugs from a police evidence

locker. This behaviour resembles characteristic features of the Thug stereotype and the

film serves as a great example of using this stereotype.

According to my research of new variations of stereotypes I found out that in the

last two decades a great amount of films played by African Americans present Thug

stereotype. These films support the stereotypes and myth of African Americans as being

violent and dangerous people. Films with Thug stereotype present African American

men as people who are likely to end up in the criminal justice system.

3.4 Famous person

Malcolm X is a 1992 American biographical drama film about the African-

American activist Malcolm X. Bird (1998) narrates about life and music of jazz

saxophonist Charlie "Bird" Parker. Ali (2001) portrays a story of the world famous

boxer Muhammed Ali, Invictus (2009) tells the inspiring true story of Nelson Mandela,

and 42 (2013) is a film about the racial integration of American professional baseball

19

player Jackie Robinson.11 The Famous person stereotype depicts famous and significant

(not always from a positive point of view) African American political leaders, politician,

musicians and sportsman.

A list of these aforementioned films demonstrate a type of film where a black male

person intervenes an American history and culture in some way. Famous person is not a

typical stereotype such as Uncle Tom or Black Buck, it is rather a combination of

characteristic feature of general stereotypes, myths and film stereotypes which connects

all the films. The films tell the story of a famous person and his life but in the same time

they also emphasize a certain attribute of actor´s behaviour which is a core of one define

streotype.

Stereotypes and myths have accompanied film roles of African American actos

since the beginning of the motion picture industry. Some decades were devoted to

single film stereotypes, other decades combinated several film stereotypes. The third

millennium has developed a taste in biographical films which depict famous African

American people. Shooting of more than fifteen biographical films during the last

seventeen years is a proof of this phenomenom.

11 According to my own research, Apart from analyzed biographical films Ray and The Last King OfScotland and films mentioned in the fist paragraph of Famous person twelve films have depicted FamousPerson stereotype since the third millennium. There are some repetitive types of famous figures such as apolitician, a criminal, a musician and a sportman. There are four categories according of the famouspeople. The first category present politicians and figures that became involned in historical affairs. Barry(2016),Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom (2013), Invictus (2009) and Goodbye Bafana (2007). Filmswhich depict a famous black person as a thug are Straight Outta Compton (2015) and AmericanGangster (2007). A sportman as the main character has appeared in films such as Race (2016), CoachCarter (2005) Radio (2003) and Ali (2001). Great black musicians have been presented in followingfilms; Get on Up is a 2014 and The Soloist (2009).

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CHAPTER IV

4 Analysis of the selected films

For the analytical part of my thesis I have chosen four films which have won an

Oscar for the Best Actor. These are Lilies Of The Field (1963), Training Day (2001),

Ray (2004) and The Last King of Scotland (2006). In these films, the African American

actors play the leading role. Even though these type-castings are not always fully

presented in a straightforward manner, the research of these films demonstrates the

hidden use of these stereotypes as well. My effort will be to illustrate on many examples

that these roles are based on African-American male film stereotypes; the known one

Uncle Tom in Lilies Of The Field, a new offshoot of Black Buck, Thug, in Training Day

and Famous person in two last films Ray and The Last King Of Scotland.

4.1 The Lilies Of The Field

Sidney Poitier, the leading black male actor of the 1960´s, has played fifty-five

roles. Some of them approximated the Tom stereotype. These Poitier´s roles were

prepared to lose lives for white males. Poitier was the first African American actor who

won an Oscar when playing the main role. In the prize-winning film The Lilies Of The

Field Poitier's character helps European nuns to build a chapel. 12

12 Frank Miller refers to other roles of Sidney Poitier, “In the 1960´s Poitier played two totally differentroles in films Guess Who´s Coming to Dinner (1967) and In The Heat of The Night (1967). In the firstfilm he plays physician who is invited by his white fiance to her parents´house to be introced to them. Thefilm depict changes of behavior of white parents when they find out they two want to marry. The secondfilm present Sidney Poitier as a detective who helps a white detective to investigate a murder of a whitebussinessman. It is remarkable and worthy to notice that Lilies Of The Field where his film character isbased on Uncle Tom stereotype brought him an Oscar and films which shows African American personas an intelligent educated figure are not worth noticing” (2002, [online]).

21

Steven D. Greydanus, an author of a contribution called “Lilies Of The Field

(1963)” focuses on connection between the main protagonist and religion when he

states that, “Sidney Poitier, as Homer Smith, is a wage worker who one day stops close

to a house which belongs to a community of German nuns, led by Mother Maria (played

by Lilia Skala). She assesses that as a God sign quickly sizes up this capable man whom

God has sent her way, and decides to hire him to do some work” (2007 -2011, [online]).

A black man who, by pure accident, stops at a farm to get some water for his car is

manipulated into some work by the nuns. He asks for some money when he finishes the

work, but the Mother Superior answers him by quoting some Bible verses. Surprisingly,

Poitier does not protest strongly and donates his time and energy to do what he is asked

for. “This kind of behaviour is one of the typical features describing the stereotype of

Uncle Tom. Being the male counterpart to the Mammy caricature, Tom was created to

portray the slaves as happily submissive people. Tom is always smiling, and completely

desexualized. He is faithful and he is never willing to do wrong by their masters. Toms

are eager to work hard to earn their white master’s approval” (Sanders, 2015, [online]).

And what is more, viewers do not learn anything about Smith´s private life and family.

Provided that the nuns substitute the master family, not only that Homer agrees to stay

some time with nuns and do some work but he also cheerfully offers them free English

lessons. In addition to this, as he does not receive any money for his work, he is forced

to find an additional part-time job. He works and pleases his “master family” as much

as he can.

The second example of Smith´s eagernesss to please them whenever he can, are

manifested in film scenes, where he goes shopping and alwas brings something sweet

for them, just to see their smiles and happy faces. Although he gets one egg for

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breakfast every morning and the Mother Superior must be aware of the lack of the

amount of food, Smith remains hearty and selfless in whatever circumstances. Mother

Superior´s arrogant (master) behaviour is in so great discrepancy to Smith´s eagerness

to please his “white family” that even a common viewer can find the scenes amusing,

but observing the scenes thoroughly, the story pays homage to the stereotypical

behaviour between a white master and an African American slave.

Another feature of the Uncle Tom highlights African-American actors as

desexualized men. Jacquie Jones mentions in her book The Construction of Black

Sexuality (247), that “the absence of sexuality of Black screen characters which

sabotages any intimate touch so the African American person is not presented as a

complete human being” (247). Poitier's characters, like earlier Tom, was also denied sex

life. His role has no wife or girlfriend, and, it is drained of sexual tension and fulfillment.

Homer has no life apart from whites. We know little of either character's experiences or

hopes. He is simply presented in the film to solve the problems of the white characters.

Among other issues that Poitier comments in his second autobiography A Measure

of a Man (2000), he also mentions his own attitude to roles he has played: “According

to a certain taste that was coming into ascendancy at the time”, wrote Poitier, “I was an

‘Uncle Tom,’even a ‘house Negro,’ for playing roles that were non-threatening to white

audiences, for playing the ‘noble Negro’who fulfills white liberal fantasies” (Poittier,

118). His own words can be questioned. Even when he played different roles such as a

physician and a detective in films Guess Who´s Coming to Dinner and In The Heat of

The Night, both shooted in 1967, the answer can be found in a content of an essay “Why

Does White America Love Sidney Poitier So?” written by Cliffon Mason. Mason

generalizes “Poitier´s roles as “unreal,” and that he was always “a good nigger” helping

23

whitey solve whitey’s problems. If he dared to play a villain, as he did in The Long

Ships, he was presenting the Negro in a bad light. If he was the good guy, well, does he

have to be that good?” (1967, [online])

Other characteristic of Uncle Tom stereotype is his separation from other Black

people. Homer Smith is the only African American person in the film, the culture from

which Smith comes from, is invisible and non-existent, and therefore not important to

mention.

Uncle Tom always remains hearty and generous. In the film there are a lot of

scenes, where Smith attempts to disagree with Mother Maria and/ or tries to convince

her to behave in a more polite way. For instance when Smith demands on getting money

for the work or when he offers free English lessons to nuns. Every time he buys some

food, he brings sweets to please them. He gets only a superior and arrogant behavior of

Mother Maria as a reward for his efforts. Not even a direct “thank you” he does not hear.

Smith´s behaviour and acts show a parallel for characteristic features of the stereotype

Uncle Tom.

4.2 Training Day

Denzel Washington’s role as Alonzo Harris provides one of the most enduring and

threatening depictions of black men as violent criminals. The criminal violence of

Washington’s character is highlightes by the contrast to his white partner, Jake Hoyt

played by Ethan Hawke. Jake is presented as a good cop and a moral man. The film tell

a story of corrupted senior police officer Harris who oversteps his authority by stealing

money and drugs, shooting a gangster and making an attempt to kill his colleague Jake.

Denzel Washington´s main role is based on the stereotype of the Brutal Buck and

his offshoot-contemporary more acceptable term, Thug. The Brutal Buck is depicted as

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big, black, physically intimidating, and violent. Donald Bogle, author of Toms, Coons,

Mulattoes, Mammies, and Bucks, writes “that Black Bucks are always big, baadddd

niggers, oversexed and savage, violent and frenzied as they lust for white flesh. No

greater sin hath any black man” (14).

Analysing film scenes, there is a lot of evidence of this stereotype. First, his

savagery is confirmed in several scenes in the film when Alonzo´s cruelty to children

and teenagers is presented in these two examples; Alonzo has litttle concern for one boy

who is held at gunpoint, while he robs in a house where a wife of a Crips gang member

lives with her son.

Next scene highlights Alonzo´s disregard of child’s life when he is in a home of his

mistress, in a gun battle with Jake, his own son Alonzito is caught in the crossfire.

Alonzo endangers his own son and he simply flees from the house. In another example

two men attempt to rape a schoolgirl. Alonzo passively looks on while Jake rushes to

help her. Even when Jake shackles them and intends to take them to a police station,

Alonzo safely sends the girl on her way, ingnoring the suffering she experienced and

allows the men to leave the place.

Second siginificant characteristic of the Black Buck is the animalism.13 Jake is

confused when they do not arrest the rapists and so Alonzo starts to explain him that the

streets are like jungle because people are all animals who will kill himself. Alonzo says:

“We did what we had to do”. Looking at Jack, howling as a wolf, he asks him: “Are you

the sheep? To protect the sheep, you gotta catch the wolf, and it takes a wolf to catch a

wolf” (“Training Day” 00:33:36-50). Alonzo identifies himself as a wolf and tries to

manipulate Jake through wolf howling to feel as the wolf and be as Alonzo.

13 According to Thesaurus dictionary, Animalism is “ a trait or mode of behaviour typical of animals”(2017, [online]).

25

And the third sign of the above mentioned stereotype, uncontrolled sexual desire,

is very striking. Alonzo is defined by an unmeasurable sexual desire. This unmeasurable

sexual desire is illustrated in a scene, when Alonzo and Jake spend some time in his

mistress’s house. He does not ask for sex, there is not any attempt of romantic amorous

film shot. Alonzo knocks on the door, his mistress opens the door and without

introducing his colleague Jake, Alonzo avidly kisses her for a quite long time. After

some time Jake enters the flat and sits on the sofa. Alonzo’s sexual appetite is not

directly depicted by a passionate sexual scene, instead of that viewers watch Jake, who

is waiting for Alonzo in the living room with Alonzo’s son as long as they both fall

asleep.

Another showy example of Alonzo´s sexual lustfulness is illustrated with his

obscene speaking manner. Alonzo, standing next to Jake, yells to two young women in

the street that he is ready to have sex with them.

The analysis of the film Training Day which is based on Black Buck stereotype

gives evidence that negative stereotype have persisted till the present. Training Day

which was shot in the third millennium and depicts a violent criminal is awarded by an

Oscar. Dr. Boyce Watkins, a cultural critic, notices connection between stereotypes and

several African American players when he states, “It’s so interesting how black people

tend to be recognized the most when we play roles that fit into inaccurate stereotypes

that fit white America’s vision of what it means to be “authentically black”: They don’t

recognize Denzel Washington for his brilliant performance as Malcolm X, but they fawn

over Morgan Freeman’s role in Driving Miss Daisy.” The worst thing you can do,

however, is play a role that communicates intelligence, integrity or courage…that’s “not

realistic” (2012, [online]).

26

The last eminent feature of Black Buck and his modern version Thug is the ability

of evoking fear and being violent. The Black Buck´s actions full of violence and

criminality lead to his destruction in the end, just as Alonzo. Alonzo produces fear

amongst a number of groups and misleads also his fellow Jake. Alonzo influences Jake

by abusing his superiority as an officer. Through his manipulation, Alonzo is able to

dominate Jake, not only because he is above Jake, but because Jake accompanies him

out of fear. Alonzo displays animalistic, criminal, destructive, self-serving behaviours.

4.3 Ray

The film Ray describes a life story of the legendary singer Ray Charles. The film

follows several important events which influenced his life and music career.

Neverthlesss, there are also scenes depicting his lack of self dedication and motivation,

addiction to heroin and women without regarding to his immediate family. The films

also occupies with his love life and eternal triangle. Ray, as an eager lover, is involved

in many love affairs, apart from his wife, he keeps in touch with his mistresses. This

film introduces the newest stereotype Famous person.

There is no doubt that Ray Charles was a great musician, singer and composer,

however, there is not much space in the film where a spectator can observe his

educational experience and/or his common everyday life with family is not shown there.

Most of the film is dedicted to Ray´s excesses, reverlies with mistresses and his delight

in taking drugs. David Ritz mention in his essay “It's a Shame About Ray” the fact that,

“...at that state school he was taught to read Braille, play Chopin, write arrangements,

learn piano and clarinet, start to sing, and discover sex. Ray shows none of that. Such

scenes would have been far more illuminating than the unexciting story, which the film

does include, of Ray changing managers in midcareer” (2004, [online]).

27

Ray´s behaviour can be perceived as the Coon childish behaviour. I have describe

the Coon in the second chapter by paraphrasing Donald Bogle. He states, “The Coon

stereotype acts childish, even he is an adult. He is lazy and cynical but he does not

attempt to change his low position” (7). Charles´s behaviour resembles the Coon when

he is presented as an adult child who enjoys the life full of sex and drugs and he is just

lucky to meet the right people who help to start his carreer.

Apart from the Coon stereotype, the film refers to a myth that African Americans

are great singers. The film Ray does not mention his musical education, his real piano

practices.14 A great amount of film scenes where Charles composes and sing his songs

without any remakes or repetitions can present the myth that all African American were

born wih a phenomenal voice and are able to sing excellently.

It is apparent that a famous African American figure can not be played by a white

actor but when Scott Timberg (a former staff writer focusing on culture) asks one data

scientist a question if kinds of roles for an actor of color are limited compared to what a

white actor, the scientist answers, “And not only limited. But also from the numbers, the

Academy Awards rewards certain kind of roles for minorities. For [playing] famous

people -- that is very disproportionate: A little over half the roles won by minorities

were depictions of famous people” (2016, [online]). Ray Charles´s biographical film

could have dealt only with his musical ability and talent, educational experiences and

the ways how he becomes an excellent musician, yet a significant part of the film is

devoted to Ray´s childish flippant behaviour, typical for the Coon stereotype.

14 As the website theviolin.sectionfiles.wordpress.com mention a life story of Ray Charles, Charles wastaught classical music at school where he became a premier musician and later he could play piano acompose songs in the South Campus Literary Society (sec Early life:1930-1945)

28

4.4 The Last King Of Scotland

The film tells the fictional story of a young Scottish doctor Nicholas Garrigan who

travels to Uganda and becomes the personal physician of President Idi Amin.The film is

based on events of Amin's rule. The story is told by Garrigan who decides to work in a

rural clinic in Uganda during the 1970´s. Garrigan is offered a job as Idi Amin´s

personal physician. Very soon Nicholas is more than Amin's personal physician. He

becomes his most trusted advisor. As the time passes, Nicolas observes Amin´s

torturing and cleansing of unwanted officers as well as kicking all Asians out of

Uganda.Nicolas longs for returning to Scotland but Amin rejects his appeal saying that

Uganda is his home. In the final scenes, Nicolas decides to poison Amin by pretending

of giving him pills for headache but he is caught. Nicolas colleague, a doctor Junju,

helps him to leave the place and Nicholas escapes with in a plane.

The film The Last King Of Scotland which depicts Ugandian President Idi Amin´s

life could be renamed as The Last Black Buck or a Military Thug. The stereotype of

Famous person in this film combines Black Buck and his modern version the Thug. All

the characteristic features of Black Buck and his new offshoot Thug are manifested in

Amin´s figure. He is a destructive criminal who evokes fear.

Brutality of Black Buck and Thug´s behaviour is shown in film scenes Amin

disposes his opponents, murders his own relatives (his third wife and an unborn baby)

and kidnapps undesirable enemies.

Hyper-sexuality of Black Buck and Thug is indirectly presented via Amin´s three

wifes and many children. One can be aware of his sexual avidity. By pointing to the

plural marriage, polygamy, there may be identified a link between aiming reference to

29

Amin´s sexuality which strikingly resembles one of the siginificant features of Thug

stereotype.

Idi Amin as an African American famous person is almost in the whole film

presented as the Thug, yet, it is remarkable that the relationship between the doctor

Nicolas and the maniac dictator remains of the black and white buddy formula which

was characteristic in blaxploitaion film of 1970´s and 1980´s. Two figures, usually men

called black and white duo, argue and hate each other but eventually come to respect

one another. They both come to realize what value has their life. “This Awakening” and

awareness of the value of the life comes in dangerous, life threatened situation. As one

takes into consideration that the doctor becomes aware of his own value as a human

being through the dictator´s cruel acts we can find a parallel to the aforementioned

black and white duo.15

Addressing again to the closing scene of The Last King Of Scotland, the leading

character, the doctor, asks his rescuer (doctor Junju) why he risks his life to save him.

And his colleague asnwers by saying: “They will believe you. You are a white man.”

Matt introduced his opinion via his comments on webpage Ruthless Reviews and

glosses the film when he says, “Uganda suffered greatly under Amin; he was a

stereotypical African dictator, after all - a military thug who used swagger and black

nationalism to secure power before abandoning his promises to build schools and

hospitals, while simultaneously lining his pockets with the nation’s wealth. Such a story

might not revolutionize the medium, but at least it would allow Africans to tell an

African story; on their own terms, and with their own sense of responsibility. Instead, in

Kevin Macdonald’s The Last King of Scotland Amin is imagined through the eyes of a

15 Black and white buddy formula have been explained in the first chapter; African American Actors inthe motion picture industry in a film The Edge of The City.

30

white man; proof once again that audiences are not expected to set foot on the Dark

Continent unless accompanied by a pale-faced interpreter” (2011, [online]).

I have already mentioned that Famous Person is not a typical stereotype such as

Uncle Tom or Black Buck, and that it is rather a combination of characteristic features

of general stereotypes, myths and film stereotypes which connects all biographical films.

There are many great famous African American personages. One can believe that

depictictions of controversial African Americans in a film will slowly disappear but as

the history of the motion picture industry has shown, in my opinion, the changes of

thinking of African American people as Thug and/or Black Buck will take a long time.

31

5 Conclusion

Presentation of African-Americans in films has changed over time. Starting from

depicting blacks as Uncle Tom, the Coon and the Black Buck stereotypes throughout

black and white duo when both black and white audiences could identify with their

heroes to modernizing images of the accustomed stereotypes such as magical Negro and

black best friend, the motion picure industry of the twenty-first century recurs to the

basic typology of African Americans when introduces them as savage strong-arm brutal

Buck and/or complaisant submissive Uncle Tom.

I have analysed the leading roles in Oscar awarded films. The thesis has

endeavoured to give evidence of still persisting presentation of stereotypes of African

American actors in films and the research has been supported both by information taken

from books written on the subject and from my own research. From the very beginning

of the origin of Academy Awards in 1929 to the third millennium only four film with

black best actor have won the prize; The Lilies of the Field, The Training Day, Ray and

The Last King of Scotland. Although the themes of these films differr in a plot, period

of time and a type of personae, they all are linked by a specific feature which is a title

character ´s behaviour and deeds based on historical black stereotypes. Sidney Poitier,

Denzel Washington, Jamie Fox and also Forest Whitaker have played a wide range of

characters, nevertheless the Oscar winning roles fit into stereotypes that fit white

America’s vision of what it means to be “authentically black”; a self-sacrificing slave,

savage criminal, drug addicted musician, powerful sportsman and/or black famous

person.

32

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