Research topic... revisited

Changing perceptions of black marriage in the 20th century

(please excuse that this is not as fleshed-out as I might like… it’s all starting to come to me – a little late in the night!)

As I mentioned before, I’m interested in writing about “black marriage” or “black love,” and the prevalence (or lack thereof) of committed black couples. I realized I needed to refine this topic since tackling “black marriage” throughout all of US history is simply daunting. Additionally, I was nervous about finding sufficient primary material to work with. So finally I turned to an art medium that is often a frank (if at times exaggerated) reflection of love and marriage – comedy.

Specifics and (budding) argument: Using black comedians’ routines and personal lives, I want to explore how accurately their comedy reflected the state of black marriage at different points in 20th century America. Comedians whose work I’m considering analyzing are Richard Pryor, Bill Cosby, Moms Mabley, Dick Gregory, Whoopie Goldberg, among others

Significance: As I mentioned before, many people worry that traditional black marriages and families have disintegrated as the 20th century has progressed – the point that 42% of black women never get married. While exploring this phenomenon through comedy might not offer an explanation as to why, it could offer a reflection of the climate around which these changes in black relationships were happening, and perhaps offer a better understanding of how entrenched these issues were in black society.

Primary literature: Comedic routines and audience reactions to them. Also, any diaries or letters discussing black relationships that may have influenced the comedians

Secondary literature: Critic’s responses to the comedians’ comments on black relationships. Impact of the routines.

Troubleshooting: Really, I think I just need to narrow this into a solid argument, because right now I have more of a concept than a thesis. I feel like this will develop as I begin to dig into the research… I also want to highlight the fact that the comments made in many comedic routines are caricatures of what is actually happening in society – and I’d like to explore how much we can trust these jokes about black relationships as a true reflection of reality, and how much is for entertainment?