Both “Ethnic Notions” as well as “Birth of a Nation”, clearly show racism. Both films portray blacks as white Americans. The Ku Klux Klan’s hate for African Americans was shown in “Birth of a Nation”, while “Ethnic Notions”, took viewers through the history of common terms used for blacks. The terms include “Mammy”, the “Coon”, the Tom, and others. The producers created such characters like the “Coon” to entertain others. He is depicted as a complete fool who acts like an idiot. He had his hair up and was totally harmless to everyone.
“Ethnic Notions” takes you through American history, from the 1820s through the 1980s. This film is powerful because it has songs, artifacts and can be viewed as well as the films. This film explains some terms used to describe African Americans. The film describes some of the terms that were used to describe African Americans throughout the twentieth century. The African Americans performed and danced to the masters. This film tells the story about the evolution of Ku Klux Klan. The law which required whites to honor black officers on the streets made interracial marriages possible between blacks. The blacks were defeated by a group consisting of white-clad men wearing white hoods and sheets. They were considered the champions of white women and honor. They were praised for restoring order and white supremacy. This is the origin of the title “Birth of a Nation” and the birth of Ku Klux Klan.
These films both misrepresent African Americans in many ways. The “Mammy”, as seen in “Birth of a Nation”, is portrayed with blackface performed by a female actress. The role of “Mammy,” a servant in films, was stereotypically played by a dark, heavy-set woman who had her priorities set on serving her master and mistress. “Mammy,” as she was known, was loyal and protective of her white household. She was a powerful woman who was stable in every south image. While the “Coon” and the “Mammy,” are very similar, the “Mammy”, on the other hand, is shown to be completely independent of the latter. The “Ethnic Notions”, “Ethnic Notions”, and “Mammy” were both humorous and entertaining throughout. These stereotypes make African Americans appear inferior and subordinate.
