The topic of representations of African-Americans is broad and covers many aspects. In the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the major film-producing business enterprises, including Hollywood, did little to include black men in their films. Racial discrimination was widespread during this time. The 21st century saw the rise of black actors and producers in the big screen. The African Americans in films are depicted in a variety of ways. Here is a list of black men’s portrayal in movies.

Physical strength and high productivityThe strength of black men was the ultimate formula for their slavery in 19th and 20th centuries. It is no surprise that this has played a major role in the portrayal of African-Americans. This is because the African-Americans are masculine, and that’s why the slave-traders and auctioneers liked them (“Popular Stereotypes of African-Americans”) Django Unchained echoes this masculinity by focusing on the strength and power of the black men. In 12 Years a Slave African-Americans appear as slaves who serve whites and are employed in black-collar jobs. The film acknowledges or cites Malcolm X as an example for the behavior of African Americans. This film illustrates the disunity between African Americans in regards to issues that concern them. Django, the protagonist of the film, launches a revolutionary movement against the slavers, while Stephen plays the role of a spannerboy for the white man. This portrays African-Americans in a negative light, as they are unable to see or act on issues that affect them. Malcolm’s argument is supported by this, in that the house-negro and the field-negro are both puppets of the master. The film shows the African-Community’s dedication to a revolution that is geared up for their approval. Django’s bravery is evident as he kills the guards of the white man while sailing through his farm. The film shows how African-Americans are used as puppets by their white masters. Stephen is the agent and he defends his boss. It’s also interesting to note that Stephen was first to realize that Django wasn’t doing his master any favors. This shows the internal struggles and rifts within the community. Personal interests and ideology are often the cause of these conflicts. Stephen had an interest in defending the master who housed and nourished him. Django wanted to release the black slave, and free him from slavery. African-Americans in films are often portrayed as second-class citizen. This is due to racial stereotyping, where the black community is stereotyped as unclean, foolish, lazy, and childish. Stereotyping black men began with the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade. They are portrayed as tools for black collar work in most films. The African-Americans in films such as Django, Unchained, and 12 Years A Slave are forced to work on plantations. This shows that African-Americans are not treated equally and with the same respect as whites. As a result of their segregation, and the fact that they are denied access specific shops, schools and recreational facilities, they lack similar social advantages. This changed over time, as the content of the present day portrays African-Americans in a more aggressive light. Power, a television series, depicts African-Americans to be aggressive people who will do anything for a steady income and better lives. They also protect their businesses. James Ghost, in this scene, is a good example. He says that African-Americans will not be able to ruin their businesses, no matter what. This aggression shows that African-Americans want to be empowered and are challenging the old stereotypes that they’re a backward community. ConclusionSeveral films were produced that featured the African-American Community. These films represent this community differently. Many of these films deal with the slave trade and portray blacks as a backward group. Modern films have a different perspective, which is evident in the way African-Americans are advancing in their multi-million business and investment ventures.