Black hair in the media: Racial portrayals are more than skin deep

Abstract

Several stereotypes exist that perpetuate negative viewpoints of black hair. Although media literacy scholarship and resources have focused on media representations of race and body image, fewer have specifically centered on media representations of hair type. In this lesson, students will learn how media reinforce negative stereotypes that pertain to black hair. They will explore media sources that provide a positive counter narrative to negative perspectives. They will also identify real-life implications of mediated false black hair narratives.

Courses: Media and Society/Media and Culture, Media Literacy, Psychology of Diversity, Women’s Studies, and African American Women’s Studies.

Objectives: Students will: (1) describe how the media reinforce negative stereotypes of black hair; (2) identify the components of a positive media portrayal (counter narrative) of black hair; and (3) identify ways that negative media representations of black hair perpetuate inaccurate perceptions of and negative actions toward black people, both individually and systematically.