Customer Reviews

The Assassination of the Black Male Image

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A great book. I agree with the reviewer Bonita Davis in that Dr. Hutchinson does not always provide data to back up his assertions. However, I disagree with her stance against the book for not suggesting ways to "combat the assault". This book is about exposing misinformation, not taking action against the lies and stereotypes. I enjoyed Dr. Hutchinson's take on what the media does to black males, as well as what black women do! I thought that he could have done something more substantive with that chapter. I also thought the "What's Love Got to do with it" chapter was unfinished. The point of that chapter was nebulous at best.

The rest of the book is great, and overshadows the less-than-great aspects. I particularly enjoy the "voice" of this book - it was thoughtful, but a little angry at the powers and principalities that routinely assassinate black males. There are some things that we need to be angry about so that we are motivated to take the next step. What is the next step? If we knew that, there would be no reason for this book.

African-American men have been the targets of character assassination throughout their lives is the main premise of Dr. Hutchinson's work. He gives the reader a wide sweeping historical overview of how the media, sociologists and sadly enough Black female writers have been part of the conspiracy to demean the Black man's image.

The vast majority of what is presented is not anything new. African-Americans are not in control of the media. Thus whatever is projected about them comes from the racist and biased views of those who control the images. Most Blacks should know that they are considered sex-crazed, lazy, shiftless, etc. by the white power structure. Dr. Hutchinson's analysis of the structures' control tells us that things have not really changed only the form in which it has been presented.

I find the major flaw in this work is that it doesn't go into a more detailed analysis in providing the reader with data in support of his assertions. Our author spends quite a bit of time in belittling Black female authors whom he feels have bashed Black men in their works. The fact that they were supported by the media is the credence that he gives in his criticism. I found his critique of them very shallow as well as that of John Singleton. He could have made more of a case if he gave examples and cited the problems that their work caused for Black men rather than giving blanket generalizations.

Although the book is very revealing it doesn't come up with any suggestive ways in combatting this assault on Black males. Should the community rise up in arms against anyone who makes any criticism of Black males (right or wrong)? Will boycotting the media be productive? Can we not take charge of our own image regardless of what white america thinks? All of these questions and many more need to be considered. Most of all what image do African-Americans want to present for its males. If it is merely someone who holds the values of the oppressor but has a Black face then the group is in far more trouble morally than it thinks. This is a good book for further reflection and study over developing a Black male image that is positive for the community regardless of the external stereotypes projected on African-American men.

Dr. Hutchinson goes to a lot of pain and effort to expose the media's misuse of racial sterotyping of black males. Dr. Hutchinson's work is written in a conversational format. He educates his readers on such things as the Clarence Thomas debacle, the Mike Tyson case, and the allegations of sexual misconduct leveled against Michael Jackson. The doctor's chapter on the misuse of the "N" word was perhaps the most enlightening chapter in the book. The point of the chapter is that the misuse and casual usage of this demeaning word by African-American males (rap stars, comics, etc.) in an attempt to "take the power out of the word" has had the reverse effect.

The author forces the reader to look at himself and consider whether or not the media has been successful in brain-washing the general public.

In the chapter regarding Michael Jackson, though, the author reveals his own personal bias. He speaks of the accusations against Michael Jackson of sexual misconduct against young boys and finishes the chapter by stating that he will choose to believe Mr. Jackson's story until he is proven guilty in a court of law. However, what he says is reversed when he speaks of those implicated in the McMartin preschool scandal. In Mr. Jackson's case the author refers to the accusations as allegations. But when speaking of Ray Buckey, who spent FIVE years in jail without being proven guilty of ANYTHING in a court of law, he calls the same sort of allegations : "revelations".

So the author brings racism to the forefront of the reader's mind.. but his own bias sticks out a bit too far. He paints with too wide of a brush in places. Many of his statements are generalizations and often he doesn't back up these generalizations with facts, figures, etc.

Still, the book is a much needed exposition on racial sterotyping.

I read this book after getting out of college (1999). As a former student of an all male HBCU, the title caught my attention and caused me to purchase. Hutchinson brings up some pretty valid points, but unfortunately what stood out more was a tone of anger that I got from him. This caused me to put it down. After seeing him about 1-2 years later giving a interview, I picked up more of this anger, but began to see where it was coming from. This prompted me to reread the book and now I can say that this is a very good book for anyone to pick up because his illustrations on society & the media as well as the stereotypes used to portray black men in America are a serious injustice. We also must be accountable for ourselves as well. I highly recommend.

This book is very eye opening. It utilizes actual events and real publications as proof to back up its literature. With any strong and controversial topic, some of the author's opinions are imposed; beyond all of it, it is truthful. Mr. Hutchinson gives you a very descriptive depiction of what is "really" meant by certain views, standpoints and "media spins" on Afro-American men. Again VERY insightful and I recommend it for all people of color..

A provocative title however what Dr. Hutchinson actually addresses is the perpetuation of the extant image. The Black male has endeavored to assume control of his image since at least the dawn of Portuguese abductions from Africa over five centuries ago.

This book is a delicate but largely unsuccessful balancing act where very little new information is brought to light. It is conceivable some individuals who are oblivious to the world around them may find his premise a revelation; I would submit to Black American males there is nothing profound to be found here. It's simply business as usual. Relative power, arguable influence, tenuous celebrity or proportional affluence will fail to assure a positive public image in the perception of the wider community. The probability is any Black male, including one of generally acknowledged stature, who exhibits positive qualities will be construed as an anomaly, but as previously noted, that is neither a new view nor in any way unconventional. What was remotely intriguing, was to ascertain what particular methodology Dr. Hutchinson intended to utilize to lambast the presumptive oppressors while tacitly mounting a defense for some actors often, only marginally oppressed. In essence, he reverted to the commodious realms of victimology. It does not work.

Dr. Hutchinson situates the offensive (Mike Tyson, Marion Barry) in the same category as the offended (Clarence Thomas, Michael Jackson) and the affronted (Michael Jordan, Spike Lee) adjacent to the recondited (Rodney King, Louis Farrakhan). All are under the same palliative umbrella of indignation which only serves to vitiate any reasonable opportunity to buttress - for the skeptical - what for practical purposes is a truism. He assumes threadbare contradictory positions to support his premise but ends up creating non sequiturs. In defense of Malcolm X, who does not require one, he states Malcolm's beliefs and thinking regarding what we now interpret as feminism were representative of his era's prevalent thought. By the same benign assessment, all of the derogatory references he highlights in today's media (or yesterday's) could be retrospectively whitewashed with the same wide bristled brush. The apologist approach in reference to a Black icon renders the vituperative approach employed to castigate the white media - who are equally as blameless in "prevailing view of the era" explanation - disingenuous. He admonishes Terry McMillan, amongst others, for failing to include balanced portrayals of Black males in her books, yet he is reticent to the paucity of positive Black male images in the preponderance of works written for the same audience by Black males (Yes, it is acknowledged his criticism of John Singleton is in that vein). I do not take issue with the premise, many of these characterizations are cumulatively insulting, generally superficial, and typically non-productive. But in neither case does he provide examples to qualify, or quantify, the harmful effects.

The copy of the book I read was the self-published edition. It contained a large number of editing omissions and proofreading oversights yet some of the errors were too blatant to be unintentional. Names of individuals he obviously views as ideological contrasts were misspelled or completed excluded from the index. Regardless of politics, the derisive "deh Judge" was unwarranted, symptomatic of the incongruent balance Dr. Hutchinson attempted to maintain.

Dr. Hutchinson outlines the evident but fails to offer solutions, remedies, alternatives...or trade-offs. He does not purport deliberate subversion but he implies de facto subjugation. In attempting exculpation for the notorious, he indirectly gives credence to the attitudes he wishes to eradicate.

Dr. Hutchinson goes through alot of pain and effort to expose the medias misuse of racial strerotyping of black males. Dr. Hutchinson's work is written in a conversational format. He educates his readers on such things as the Mike Tyson's case, and the allegations of sexual misconduct.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book!! I really liked the perspective that Mr. Hutchinson gave and all of the examples that were used!! This book is definitely a page turner! It is also an enlightening book to the misinformed and uninformed brothers out there that are just living life today without a care in the world. It has decent size print and is easy to read.

Mr.hutchinson asks some powerful questions in this book.it is great to see something that attacks what the media likes to try to prove as fact all the time.he handles each subject matter really well and is very direct.a must have.

I loved this book, and recommended it to several of my brother friends. Mr. Hutchinson went deeply into this important subject, and my husband and I learned a great deal reading it. Mr. Hutchinson's observations, experiences and research put a bright light on this festering sore.