In the Groove

Hand drawn animations exploring the 'Magical Mystical Negro' and 'Superhuman Black Athlete' tropes

Directed by Isabel Barfod

Reanimated compilation of broadcast examples of the 'Magical Mystical Negro' and 'Superhuman Black Athlete' tropes. The African American community is too often portrayed in broadcast and print media as superhuman thereby defining African Americans as less than human and as an 'other'. These tropes are not far from the 'Uncle Tom trope (comic relief character whose role is to amuse the audience by showing the traits that characterize the racist stereotype of black people)' .