The Anti-Black Hero: Black Masculinity Media Representation as Seen in Netflix Series Luke Cage and Fox Series Empire

<p>The reoccurrence of the Black Brute, the Thug, and the modern day Coon stereotypical images on current television narrowly defines Black masculinity as a monolithic experience. Young Black boys, are often unable to see themselves as those who are portrayed on television. The images they see on screen are sometimes not realistic. Unfortunately, for some young Black boys, these stereotypical images may heavily influence their own behavior. Society often criminalizes and demonizes young Black men as angry, violent, and dangerous. They pose as a supposed threat to society and are thought to be even more problematic as they age. Currently, there is a need for alternative representations of Black youth and masculinity, which will allow for young Black men to define themselves and not allow society to define them. In this project I explore the Black male leads: Lucious Lyon in <em>Empire </em>and Luke Cage in <em>Luke Cage</em>. In addition, I explore the complexity of their characters and how their worldview of Black masculinity ultimately shapes their masculinity as Black men. While both were created as innovative representations of Black masculinity, they are mirrored images of historical stereotypes of Black men: the Thug as portrayed by Lucious Lyon in <em>Empire</em> and the Black Brute as portrayed by Luke Cage. This analysis focuses on the shift in current Black male representations in popular culture through a Black feminist lens. Themes addressed in this research project include: Blackness, Black love, and Black male gender performance and worldview.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts in American Studies (MAST)

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Interdisciplinary Studies

Year dc:date.available

2017

Author dc:creator

• Hemphill, Meya Joyell

Contributors dc:contributor

• Dr. Griselda Thomas
• Dr. Nichole Guillory

• Blackness
• Black masculinity
• Television representation
• Luke Cage
• Empire
• Black Brute
• Thug
• Coon
• Stereotypes
• Black history
• American Popular Culture
• American Studies
• Other Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
• Political History
• Social History
• United States History
• Visual Studies

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/mast_etd/14

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu:mast_etd-1020