1950 - A new look at Blacks in Hollywood

Around this time is when the appearance of blacks in Hollywood finally began to change from that of a "lazy sambo" or "mammy" figure to something much more manageable. Prior to the '50s the "southern" view of the black man dominated the screen in white-made films. Richard Welch points out in his article, "The art market in America is heavily Southern. Northern themes and personalities do not sell as well" (Welch 62). The 1950s were a completely new view of the black man and his abilities/life style. "1950 saw Hollywood presenting the story of a black middle class family..." (Sylvester). Not only did the audience get to see the black man as a well-distinguished individual, they also were able to see inside of the black household for the first time in this era. "No Way Out" is a prime example of these ideas, featuring the main character as a doctor, Dr. Luther Brooks. The viewer is also brought into the house of Brooks, and gets to see, in some sense of accuracy, what the household of the black family of the 1950s was like.