Black Female Stereotypes

Mammy, Jezebel and Sapphire

Mammy -The overweight, kerchiefed, aproned servant/nurse who is happy with her life of faithful service to others (usually, white people)-Matriarchal, no sex appeal-Portrayed as being loyal and having a good heart-An endearing, comic figure

Why is This Stereotype Harmful?

Who personifies this stereotype in The Color Purple?

Mammy - Examples

• Calpurnia in To Kill a Mockingbird

• Abilene Clark and Minnie Jackson in The Help

• Mammy in Gone With the Wind

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZ7r2OVu1ss

Jezebel-This stereotype has its roots in the slave trade; nudity misinterpreted as lewdness-A seductive, lewd, alluring, worldly, tempting figure-A foil to mammy-Often tall and lighter skinned, with facial features more typically associated with white women-Often portrayed as using sex as a tool for evil and manipulation

Why is This Stereotype Dangerous?

Who personifies this stereotype in The Color Purple?

Jezebel - Examples• Leticia Musgrove in Monster’s

Ball (played by Halle Berry)• Rap and hip hop music videos• http://www.youtube.com/

watch?v=UDApZhXTpH8• In the 90s, female rappers like

Foxy Brown and Lil’ Kim reclaimed the Jezebel stereotype by giving the black female seductress a voice (a very aggressive, hypersexualized voice)

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhCD9qxlczo

Sapphire-The “sassy black woman”, portrayed as having one hand on her hip, and the other hand wagging a finger in the air-Overbearing, and known for berating their men and children-Rude, loud, and confrontational-Often overweight, and the sidekick to a more beautiful black female character

Why is This Stereotype Dangerous?

Who personifies this stereotype in The Color Purple?

Sapphire - Examples “I got this black chick that don’t know

how to act.She’s always talking out her neck,

making her fingers snap.She says “Listen Jiggaman, I don’t care if

you rap.”“You better R-E-S-P-E-C-T me.”

-Jay-Z Girls, Girls, Girls

-Oda Mae in Ghost (Whoopi Goldberg)-Rochelle on Everybody Hates Chris

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhspzWX03Ak

What About Black Male Stereotypes?

Do the male characters fulfil stereotypical expectations? What is Alice Walker’s intent in using male

and female stereotypes?