Stereotypes of African Americans are generalizations about the behavior of African American groups or individuals. Developed in American culture since the colonial years of settlement, particularly after slavery became a racial institution that was heritable. Historically some African American stereotypes labeled African Americans as ignorant, uncivilized and simple-minded. These African American stereotypes created negative stigmas for African Americans and since then these African American stereotypes have been upgraded and unfortunately expanded. The current African American stereotypes include criminal, poor, athletic, religious and musically gifted. Though some of these African American stereotypes seem to be positive, it does not make the practice of perpetuating these African American stereotypes right. African American stereotypes are often times used to mask real issues. For example: it is said that is twice as hard for an African American to get a job, when the fact is that these men are severely marginalized. Even though African American stereotypes seem to have quite a negative influence upon the young African Americans, African American stereotypes can be used in positive ways to tell historically of where the African Americas are coming from and where they needs to go.
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I absolutely agree with the idea that sterotypes are completey wrong. As people whose minds run on and on about various topics, we tend to categorize. This is a human fault. Though this is true, the idea that a person can do just about anything positive and still find it hard to negate a label that is place on them due to something they can't change is terribly unfair. We must work with our children; and gain some type of control of the media. Children are socialized into their ways of thinking and the biggest factors are their households, peers, and the media. If we can somehow get a better grasp on these things; the people of the future may not endure such marginalization.
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