The Black Brute

     Immediately when I saw these two pictures compared I knew it was a gold mine in the cultural studies field, as it depicts both racial and sexual stereotypes of African Americans and women. I was unfamiliar with the term 'black brute', so I decided to research its origin. I learned that this stereotype of African American men became popular in the reconstruction period after the American Civil War. The black brute term centralized on two themes, violence and sexuality.  African Americans were thought to be savage and violent, but it was believed that slavery had tamed them. After emancipation, whites feared their slaves would return to their supposed natural and 'primitive state'. They also feared the blending of the races because of their 'sexual powers' and their religious practices, such as hoodoo and voodoo. Black men were often larger and stronger than white men. They were viewed as 'hyper-sexual", as it was thought that slavery repressed their sexual desire. Women, especially white women, in this time period were viewed as the weaker sex, and the target of these black brutes. There were many lynchings of black men on the account of raping a white woman.
     And now for the painting on the left. It was painted in the year 1917 and used as an WW1 American recruitment poster. This gorilla is actually representing a German soldier, as he is wearing a distinctly German military helmet. The word Kultur, culture in German, is engraved in a bloody bat. This symbolizes their uncivilized actions in the Rape of Belgium, in which Germany terrorized Belgium, shooting thousands of civilians and destroying their country. It was thought to be the beginning of Nazi Europe. It is very interesting to me that American propaganda used what looks like a representation of a black brute to depict a German, as Germans are white. Educated people in this time period were probably aware of the connection of the barbaric Germans and the stereotype of black brutes. I also noticed that the city is destroyed in the background, which can be connected to how white men feared black men would destruct their cities. This poster compares the horrific actions of the German nation, to the old stereotypical qualities of black men.
     In 2008, American Vogue featured LeBron James and Gisele Bundchen on the cover, in a picture that very closely resembles this war poster. It makes me wonder if the black brute stereotype is still present in American culture today? And if so, instead of being a negative stereotype, is it possibly one that is idolized? These two stars are role models of many Americans today, and their bodies represent our culture perfectly; big, strong, athletic men, and small, beautiful, done-up women. It is so interesting how the times change, and how culture influences and shapes our docile bodies according to its present ideals.