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Magical Negro

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The "Magical Negro" (sometimes called the "Mystical Negro" or "Magic Negro"), according to some critics and commentators, is a stock character who appears in some films, books, and television programs. The term has been in use since at least the 1950s, but has since been popularized by Spike Lee, who dismissed the archetype of the "super-duper magical negro" while discussing his 2000 film, Bamboozled. The word "negro" in the phrase, despite now being considered offensive, is used intentionally for that very reason by many critics, to emphasize their belief that the archetype is a racist throwback to a less enlightened time.

Description of the character

When he first encounters the (invariably white) protagonist, the Magical Negro often appears as someone uneducated and in a low station of life, such as a janitor or prisoner. The black character is depicted as wiser and spiritually deeper than the protagonist, and the "Magical Negro" is often used as a plot device to help the protagonist get out of trouble, and to help the white character recognize his own faults and overcome them. As a plot device, the magical negro is similar to the Deus ex machina, literally "God Machine" from Ancient Greece, in which a god or other supernatural entity was introduced into the play by a crane to resolve the affairs of mortals. In common usage "Deux ex machina" refers to any outlandish, external, or surreal plot device used to resolve problems in a play or screenplay.

The black character may literally have special powers, or he may be mysterious in a way that suggests otherworldliness. Although it is usually a well-meaning attempt to portray a positive black character, critics like Lee, Ariel Dorfman, and Aaron McGruder believe that the use of this stock character is racist, because it perpetuates the idea that blacks should be subordinate to whites. The racial roles of the archetype are rarely reversed (lower-class white character helps a troubled black character).

The Magical Negro can be considered a form of the "noble savage" or "wise old man" archetype. Variants include the Native American who helps pragmatic whites discover their inner spirituality and brings them back in touch with nature, and the servant (of any non-white race) who sacrifices himself to save his master.

Examples

Examples of "Magical Negroes" include:

Note that black characters with apparent supernatural powers who are portrayed as independent, have a level of power roughly equivalent to that of other characters and who are not subservient to whites—such as Mace Windu (Samuel L. Jackson) in the Star Wars prequels, Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) in The Matrix (1999) and Storm (Halle Berry) in X-Men (2000) —are not usually considered weakened "Magical Negroes," nor are helpful non-white characters without some magical or fantastical element. However, the common repetitive trend remains -- that all these non-white characters are still not the main protagonists (heroes) in their storylines. Hence, the definition of the "Magic Negro" may also include non-white protagonists who continue to be teamed up with a white hero as well. The concern is that the "Magic Negro" may still be covertly used as a subordinate character to white protagonists (because even though he or she may play a central figure in a storyline, he or she is being portrayed as being unable to solve challenges without the involvement of a white associate). See more at: http://www.blackcommentator.com/49/49_magic.html

See also

Reference

  • "Too Too Divine; Movies' 'Magic Negro' Saves the Day, but at The Cost of His Soul", Washington Post, June 7, 2003
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