Afro-Latinos, Blackness, and Négritude in Contemporary Multimedia of the US

As a result of events that took place in the colonial era, prejudices and social interactions associated with skin color are still prevalent in the Americas. Although racial tensions have improved over time, there remains residual racism that is ingrained in the Latino collective consciousness towards darker-skinned Latinos. Perpetuated stereotypes resulting from this deeply rooted racism often present themselves in media but with time, empowerment of the melanated Latino community and criticism towards socially acceptable colorism has gained traction to confront these stereotypes. This thesis explores and analyzes the role and representation of blackness/brownness/darkness in the Hispanic community as conveyed by contemporary multimedia and how these portrayals explain how Afro-Latinos should perceive self, themselves in romantic relationships, and society in the US. The framework used in the thesis is Critical Race Theory and Social Categorization Theory.Bachelor of Art