Exemplary Representations of African American Women on Television: Queen Sugar On Screen and Behind the Scenes argues that the Oprah Winfrey Network's program Queen Sugar is a significant contribution to mainstream media that creates a space for deeper conversations concerning Black/African American women's social roles, social class, and social change. Ollie Jefferson provides a unique analysis of the television drama by using the exemplary representations conceptual framework, which is designed to define exemplars represented as characters that illustrate the complex humanity of Black lives-in this case, multidimensional female characters. Jefferson highlights the best practices used by female African American producers Oprah Winfrey and Ava DuVernay, using Queen Sugar as a case study that broadens understanding of the media industry's need for culturally sensitive and conscious inclusion of people of color behind the scenes-as media owners, creators, writers, directors, and producers-to put an end to the persistent and pervasive misrepresentations of African American women on camera. Scholars of television studies, media studies, women's studies, and race studies will find this book particularly useful.
Ollie Jefferson is visiting assistant professor at the University of Maryland, College Park.
Acknowledgments Preface Introduction and Overview: Transforming the Storylines Above-the-Lines Chapter 1: Mass Media Myths and Misrepresentations Chapter 2: Television Typecasts Chapter 3: Media Exclusion to Inclusion Chapter 4: Multimedia Mogul Trending New Ground Chapter 5: Changing the Channel: Mainstream Media Messages Chapter 6: Inclusive Crew Commentary on Countering Narratives Chapter 7: Complex Characters Countering Stereotypes Chapter 8: Cultural Context in Community Chapter 9: The Businesswoman On-Screen Chapter 10: The Activist Woman On-Screen Chapter 11: The Seasoned Woman On-Screen Chapter 12: The Reformed Woman On-Screen Chapter 13: The Sisterhood Series for Social Change Conclusion: Exemplary Images, Inclusion & Impact Definition of Key Terms References About the Author
Ollie L. Jefferson's book on Queen Sugar offers a refreshing examination of how one show creator, in this case Ava DuVernay, can make a significant difference in providing a more inclusive set of media images and representations of Black women. This powerfully illustrative and brilliantly descriptive book not only demonstrates the adroit skill and revealing candor of its author, but also the continuing struggle Black women endure in having their stories told on screen in a way that is honest, balanced, and quintessentially human. Bravo to Ollie L. Jefferson for blessing us all with this must-read volume.--Ronald L. Jackson, University of Cincinnati
