Mixed Race Cartoons

Reflection on Jaimie's presentation on mixed race in the media

More than eye candy, something to think about...

Very specific ideas about what it means and looks to be “mixed race” have been normalized in the media, in marketing, on anthology covers, and in K-12 educational literature. -Michele Elam, "Identity Remix"



and a highly publicized one:


This image was the heat of racial controversy in Russia not too long ago. The ad was used for an ice cream called "Duet" and the designer, Voskhod Company, insists that the image was not intended to have any racial or racist connotation.

Pictures do tell a thousand words, and offer many levels of interpretation. In this image, I believe in the designer's good intentions. I interpret the "black in white" and "chocolate in vanilla" references to signify an African-American President in the White House, and not to President Obama's mixed-race heritage. Also, in situating the picture against its historical context, Russia has no pronounced history of racism and should be given the benefit of the doubt. The image, furthermore, portrays no overt racial stereotypes. The ad simply shows a smiling President Obama making a peace sign in front of the White House. The rainbows in the background represent hope and peace. From the consumer's standpoint, I actually do view this image as suggesting Russia's faith in the Obama presidency.

Nevertheless, caveat emptor (buyer beware)! There are many ads that have subtle details offering multiple levels of bias interpretation ("Boondocks"), intending to sway consumer minds to make false assumptions and delve into stereotypes to meet certain company needs and goals.