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BLACK MAMAS ON THE SCREEN: AFRICAN MATRIARCHY AND AFRICAN AMERICAN MOTHERHOOD IN SPIKE LEE JOINTS

Though the portrayal of African American mothers in cinema has been diverse, it has too often misrepresented the lived experiences of mothers and has contributed to negative stereotypes about African American motherhood. Existing analyses have not provided an Afrocentric examination of these specific depictions and their broader societal impact. This dissertation aims to address this gap by investigating the representation of African American mothers in film. Grounded in Afrocentric research, scholarship, and theories, the project seeks to develop a framework centered on African Matriarchy and the experiences of African American mothers. This paper introduces the Taylor Test, a comprehensive rubric informed by the Afrocentric paradigm, film theories, and feminist and womanist theories. Through the application of the Taylor Test, a content analysis was conducted on select films by renowned African American filmmaker Spike Lee, including Crooklyn (1994), She Hate Me (2004), and Chi-Raq (2015). The findings of this research contribute to the development of an Afrocentric film analysis framework, demonstrating the effectiveness of the Taylor Test. Additionally, it offers insights into fostering a "liberated maternal" identity by leveraging media, particularly film, to reshape narratives surrounding African American motherhood. / Africology and African American Studies

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:TEMPLE/oai:scholarshare.temple.edu:20.500.12613/10200
Date05 1900
CreatorsTaylor, Michelle Benée
ContributorsAsante, Molefi Kete, 1942-, Dove, Nah, Ade, Jabali, Clark, Meredith D.
PublisherTemple University. Libraries
Source SetsTemple University
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis/Dissertation, Text
Format270 pages
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Relationhttp://dx.doi.org/10.34944/dspace/10162, Theses and Dissertations

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