Tag Archives: Stereotypes

Sister, you looking real good…

My friend Ticia is a beautiful Black woman.

Inside and out.

She is a single mom, raising a young man and, despite the pressures of balancing work and everyday life demands, Ticia holds it down.

Like so many others, she makes sacrifices in order to give her son, Justin, a good life.

A product of a single parent upbringing myself, I stand in awe of the strength, resilience and sheer determination of Black women who, despite the odds, manage to raise strong, productive Black men.

We were talking recently and she told me a story that will undoubtedly be familiar to many.

The sight of a single Black woman in a barber shop is not a new phenomenon.

What “she” often times has to endure is another story.

Last week Ticia took her son to get a haircut.

“You want your son to have a nice line and look good.”

Instead of focusing on the task of cutting Justin’s hair, the barber focused on Ticia. Literally.

Sister, you looking really good sitting there all fine and s%#t.”

“My, my my…You not from around here are you?!”

“You remind me of that honey in the new Steve Harvey joint, but you finer.”

Finer?
Really?

The end result is that Justin ended up with a jacked-up haircut.

Frustrated, Ticia had to find another barber shop and have the damage repaired.

Now, before I go any further, I have to say that this is not an attack on my brothers who cut hair for a living.

I have no beef with anyone’s hustle, but there are always a few who can’t help but forget to exercise decorum and professionalism.

After all, it is a business.

A good business model dictates that if one does a good job providing a service, the customer will be satisfied, the customer will pay and reward the business with repeat visits and patronage.

Like driving a car or any other activity involving machinery, one has to keep their eyes and attention focused on the activity at hand.

It is not cool to try and rap to a mother in front of her child. Ever.

If she politely rebuffs you, that is not an attempt to “play hard to get.”

Truth be told, she is probably just not that into you.

Besides, she didn’t come to the barber shop with her child in search of a man.

We can never forget that we are all role models for our youth and this a responsibility that cannot be taken lightly…

“Careful the things you say Children will listen Careful the things you do Children will see and learn Children may not obey, but children will listen Children will look to you for which way to turn To learn what to be Careful before you say “Listen to me” Children will listen”

– Stephen Sondheim

The Thing About Aunt Jemima

I’ve got this thing for Aunt Jemima.

Long before Oprah, Aunt Jemima was the first Black female icon to gain welcome entrance into homes across America, both Black and White.

This dates back to the late 1800’s.

I acknowledge and disavow the negative racial stereotypes associated with the early incarnations of Aunt Jemima.

Admittedly, my fascination has more to do with the power of the brand – Aunt Jemima empowered and inspired consumers, making them believe that they could capture “her special magic” simply by adding wet ingredients to a dry mix.

There are three Aunt Jemima print ads, circa 1943, on my kitchen wall.

They remind me, daily, that as advertisers, we have a responsibility to help craft responsible messages that are authentic, relevant, engaging and absent of offensive and derogatory stereotypes.

For additional reading on the subject, check out —

Slave in a Box: The Strange Career of Aunt Jemima by M.M. Manning

The Grace of Silence, A Memoir by Michele Norris, whose grandmother portrayed Aunt Jemima, selling pancake mix to midwest housewives

Black Characters in Search of Reality, A New York Times Opinion by Brent Staples

Shattering Stereotypes – Black Women Define Themselves

My mom sent me an article today that appeared in the Washington Post, “Survey Paints Portrait of Black Women in America.

The article is part of a series.

The basis of this article, as well as subsequent articles in the series, is from a survey conducted by The Washington Post and the Kaiser Family Foundation.

It included interviews with over eight hundred Black women.

“…(it) represents the most extensive exploration of the lives and views of African American women in decades.”

The findings shatter stereotypes and misconceptions.

Furthermore, the interviewees add dimension, substance and provide a more accurate assessment of “Who” the Black Woman in America is today…and what is truly important and motivating to her.

Check it out.

Mad Men, Advertising and the absence of African-Americans…at the top

I am very selective with regard to the television that I watch on a regular basis.

The AMC Series Mad Men falls into the category of what I do watch.
It is intelligent television – well written and well acted.

The season four finale aired last Sunday, prompting an onslaught of media coverage including a candid New York Times interview with the show’s creator, Matthew Weiner.

One of the questions focused on the show’s lack of any major African-American (or other minority) characters.

Weiner explained, given the 1965 timeline and within the storyline:

“…this is going to change. By the way, it changes socially. It does not change in advertising. It still has not changed. And I will go to the mat on this thing.”

As a 25 year veteran of the ad industry, I agree with Weiner.

Strides have been made as evidenced by the presence of African-Americans in all facets of the business today.

However, I would not go as far as to suggest that racism does not exist in advertising.

It does.

While the journey is far from over, the fictional arc of where the industry was as portrayed in the show represents the steps taken forward.

To the original points I made, Mad Men is good and entertaining television.

Like the African-American ad executives that Weiner referenced in the interview, I believe that there should not be more African-American characters in the show.

Simply put, it just wouldn’t ring true.

I stand on the shoulders of pioneers like Tom Burrell, Caroline Jones, Frank Mango, Vince Cullers and Madam CJ Walker.

Their efforts may not make it to the Mad Men storyline, but their importance and trailblazing efforts changed the trajectory of the advertising industry.

click here _ for the full New York Times article.

"The Black Boogie Man Shot Me," said the cop

If one “happened” to be a Black male in West Philadelphia in the early morning hours on April 5th, there is a good chance that “they” were pulled over and questioned.

Police Sgt. Robert Ralston claimed to have been shot by “a Black man with corn rows.”

He later admitted that the gun shot wound was self-inflicted and that the story was a lie.

This brought to mind two separate cases, both from the early 1990’s with eerily similar circumstances…

In Boston, Charles Stuart murdered his seven-months-pregnant wife, but told authorities and the media that the culprit was “a raspy voiced Black man.”

What followed was a “Black manhunt,” producing an alleged suspect, Willie Bennett. Mr. Bennett was singled out by Stuart from a police lineup.

In an effort to give his story credibility, Stuart, too, had a self-inflicted gun shot wound.

Stuart ultimately killed himself, jumping off of a bridge.

The other case involved Susan Smith, the former University of South Carolina Union student who murdered her two sons.

She claimed that a Black man stole her car and kidnapped her kids.

Susan Smith later claimed that mental health issues impaired her judgement.
Smith is currently serving time and will be eligible for parole in the Fall of 2024.

Clearly, all three cases fuel negative and damaging assumptions about race.
The initiation of searches and hunts for the Black Boogie Men do nothing more than raise the bar on racial discord, mistrust and suspicion.

For the full Ralston article click – here