Directed by Marlon Riggs • Documentary • 1986 • 58 minutes

Unflinching, unsettling, and essential, this Emmy-winning documentary examines the devastating legacy of black stereotypes throughout American history, from the slavery era to the present. Drawing on a wide variety of media—from minstrel shows to cartoons to everyday household objects—Ethnic Notions illustrates how these racist caricatures infiltrated the popular imagination and served to rob African-Americans of their humanity.