The Help: Stereotypes of Black Women in Early Film
From the 1860's to the 1960's one of the few employment opportunities for black women in America was as a domestic servant. Consequently, the Mammy stereotype became the standard characterization of black women in film and television. The mammy roles, played by actress like Hattie McDaniels, Louise Beaver, & Ethel Waters, put a happy face on black women's lowly position in society, helping to set at ease the hearts of white audiences. Mammies were so happy to serve whites that they were shown giving up their pay and even their freedom for the chance to continue serving "their white family". These images are juxtaposed with news footage of the civil rights movement to show that this was not the case in the real world.