About the documentaries that explore African American stereotypes
in popular culture:
 
A kind of "prequel" to Color Adjustment is the 1987 documentary,
_Ethnic Notions_, also written and produced by Marlon Riggs.
Ethnic Notions is excellent.  It presents the historical
"development" of stereotypes from pre-Civil War to modern times.
What I really like about the documentary is that it explains HOW
specific stereotypes served specific ideological functions.
Color Adjustment concentrates more heavily on modern versions
of these stereotypes.  The two videos together are long (1 hr.
for Ethnic Notions; 1 1/5 hour for Color Adjustment), but present
a very formidible combination for class discussion.
 
Matt McAllister
Department of Communication Studies
Virginia Tech