Magical Negro

The Magical Negro ( engl.: Magical Negro ) is a regularly recurring character in American books and films. This occurs as a helper of the white protagonists. These characters often have special spiritual abilities that are missing the protagonist and with those of the Magical Negro to help him.

Members of the African-American community in the United States see this figure sometimes as critical. The black filmmaker Spike Lee expressed his 2001 critical of the figure of Bagger Vance in The Legend of Bagger Vance, as it would show a realistic picture of blacks.

2012, argues in an essay in Time Magazine about President Obama's re-election: " The use of the terms, Magical ' in connection with first class services Schwarzer, suggested that could only put magic behind a great performance."

Use

In fiction

The Magical Negro is often depicted as he is disadvantaged physically or because of its situation, for example, as a prisoner. He often has no past, but simply appears to assist the protagonist. Mostly he has magical powers; he is most patient and wise.

Generally it helps the Magical Negro, the protagonist from the emergency situation by also moves it to self-criticism. Critics of this concept is that the black man also as " Magical Negro " is still subordinated to the whites and is also usually represented only as exceptional among blacks.

Examples in movies

  • Noah Cullen (Sidney Poitier ) in The Defiant Ones (1958 )
  • Dick Hallorann ( Scatman Crothers ) in The Shining (1980 )
  • Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers ) in Rocky III.
  • Oda Mae Brown ( Whoopi Goldberg ) in Ghost (1990 )
  • Azeem ( Morgan Freeman ) in Robin Hood - Prince of Thieves (1991 )
  • Benjamin Buford " Bubba" Blue ( Mykelti Williamson ) in Forrest Gump (1994 )
  • John Coffey (Michael Clarke Duncan ) in The Green Mile (1999)
  • Bagger Vance (Will Smith) in The Legend of Bagger Vance (2000)
  • God ( Morgan Freeman ) in the films Bruce Almighty (2003) and Evan Almighty.

Reality

The American critic David Ehrenstein used in March 2007 entitled " Obama the 'Magic Negro ' " for a post in the Los Angeles Times. Paul Shanklin then wrote the song " Barack the Magic Negro", the Rush Limbaugh then played in his radio show.

Christmas 2008, sent Chip Saltsman, the Republican Party politician and member of the board of the Tennessee Republican Party a CD with this song at the Republican National Committee. This triggered a controversy that led to the resignation Salt Mans.

The Green Mile (Film) Noble savage Digital Object Identifier The Huffington Post
539415
de