magic negro in and of itself is not racist, however as repeatedly used by our thread morons,
But it is a racist term....here is an explanation of the Magic Negro:
"The magical negro is typically but not always "in some way outwardly or inwardly disabled, either by discrimination, disability or social constraint," often a janitor or prisoner.[4] He has no past; he simply appears one day to help the white protagonist.[5] He sometimes fits the black stereotype, "prone to criminality and laziness."[6] To counterbalance this, he has some sort of magical power, "rather vaguely defined but not the sort of thing one typically encounters."[5] He is patient and wise, often dispensing various words of wisdom, and is "closer to the earth."[2]"
The magical negro serves as a plot device to help the protagonist get out of trouble, typically through helping the white character recognize his own faults and overcome them.[2] Although he has magical powers, his "magic is ostensibly directed toward helping and enlightening a white male character."[4] It is this feature of the magical negro that some people find most troubling. Although from a certain perspective the character may seem to be showing blacks in a positive light, he is still ultimately subordinate to whites. He is also regarded as an exception, allowing white America to "like individual black people but not black culture."[7]
He's a throwback to Sambo.... |
