Friday, August 5, 2011

Black Atheist Characters in popular television and film



By D. Frederick Sparks

While white atheist characters have been far from a mainstay in popular television and film, the list of fictitious white atheists in television and film include Eleanor Anne Arroway in the movie Contact, Michael Stivic on the celebrated sitcom All in the Family, Gregory House on the medical drama House, Mr. Big on Sex and The City, Brenda Chenowith on Six Feet Under, Tyler Durden in the film Fight Club, and a least a dozen others. Portrayals of black atheists have been even fewer and further between.

Carl Dixon, played by venerable actor Moses Gunn, appeared in Season 4 of the popular 70s urban sitcom Good Times, which focused on the Evans family and their struggles in the projects of Chicago. Carl employed Michael Evans, the youngest son of Florida Evans (Esther Rolle), at his repair shop. Florida is shocked when Michael reveals to her that, like Dixon, he does not believe in God. When Florida tells Michael that there is a loving, merciful God, Michael replies “If He’s so merciful why we are still living in the ghetto?” After confronting Dixon and convincing him that an impressionable Michael is probably parroting Dixon’s nonbelief, Dixon tells Michael that he need not be an atheist in order for the two to be friends. In true sitcom fashion, the intelligent Michael’s skepticism automatically evaporates.

Dixon, a war veteran and responsible business owner, eventually falls in love with and marries Florida Evans. Rolle left the show after the end of Season 4 over dissatisfaction with the buffoonish portrayal of Jimmie Walker’s character J.J., and the characters of Florida and Carl were referred to as having moved to Arizona. When Rolle returned for the show’s final 6th season, part of her demands were that the Dixon character be written off because Rolle felt it was inconsistent that a woman with such strong Christian convictions as Florida would ever marry an atheist man. Dixon was never referred to again.

Ice Cube’s character DoughBoy in John Singleton’s hit 1991 film Boyz in The Hood presents a very different face of black nonbelief. Doughboy’s troubles with the law start as a child and result in his repeated incarceration. He also struggles to gain his mother’s love and affection, who favors his brother Ricky (in part because of her feelings about her sons’ different fathers). While hanging out on Crenshaw with friends, Doughboy asserts his nonbelief based on the Argument from Evil: “There ain't no God. If there was a God, why He be letting motherfuckers get smoked every night?- Babies and little kids, tell me that.” Contrasted with the character of Carl Dixon, it may be easy to dismiss DoughBoy’s atheism as dysfunctional ghetto nihilism. Yet Singleton in his Academy Award nominated screenplay felt that it was important for Doughboy’s views on God to be expressed.

Reality television has also featured a few black atheists. Atheist activist, blogger and podcaster Reginald Finley, aka The Infidel Guy, appeared on a 2005 episode of ABC’s Wife Swap, in which his (also) atheist wife Amber traded places with the wife of a pastor. The 23rd season of MTV’s The Real World (DC) featured Ty Ruff, a self described atheist who called religion a crutch and felt that most God believers were narrow minded.

Though there are more portrayals of black nonbelievers and skeptics in literature and other art forms, popular film and television (for better or worse) perhaps has a greater potential to shape public consciousness. The increased acceptance of gays and lesbians is no doubt in large part due to personal interactions in everyday life. But portrayals in popular culture which help “normalize” gays and lesbians for viewers who may not have had any exposure also contribute. More frequent portrayals of black atheists, particularly in balanced ways, can serve as part of an iterative process, in which these representations both influence and reflect changes in attitudes towards black non-believers. Black nonbelievers should work to get their representations out there and support others who do. And more black female atheists characters would be nice too. Have I missed any?

D. Frederick Sparks is an attorney living in Los Angeles.

16 comments:

  1. Good post. Could you name some of the books that feature black atheists characters?

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  2. Nella Larsen's Quicksand

    Richard Wright's Black Boy

    Lorraine Hansberry's Raisin in the Sun (Lena Younger questions the existence of God)

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  3. Eric Foreman, played by Omar Epps on House, MD., is also an avowed atheist. Thanks for writing this post.

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  4. Thanks Frederick! I'll check those out.

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  5. A commenter on the facebook Black Atheist group mentioned that Taye Digg's character Harper in the film The Best Man was an agnostic/non-believer until he was bullied into prayer by Morris Chestnut's character Lance.

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  6. Great post.

    As more black non-believers come forth, hopefully we will be represented more and with more depth.

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  7. Richard Wright's "The Outsider" also featured a black atheist character. As far as I know there have been no women of African descent non-believers in mainstream TV/film, which of course foregrounds the ways in which religiosity buttresses heterosexist patriarchal gender hierarchies that make tacit faith "compulsory" for women of color as opposed to men of color.

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  8. Can't forget the daughter in "Raisin in the Sun".

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  9. Well-researched post, and very insightful. I completely agree with the idea of normalizing atheism and also black atheists by more frequent and (especially) balanced portrayals in popular media. It's a tried and true method.

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  10. Glad THE OUTSIDER was mentioned. Wright consistently expressed antireligious views. Characters in THE OUTSIDER used the notion of "atheism" in a peculiar fashion, though, as a practical attitude of contemporary society. I would not cite John Singleton as an example to be emulated. I suffered through GOOD TIMES in the '70s. I remember an episode where James (the husband, generally the only character in the show I could stomach), questions the existence or at least the efficacy of God, but Florida has the last word. Frederick's suggestion is a good one; I wonder if it can be made to happen.

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  11. In the early part of the 19th century black Atheist Afrocentric scholars (i.e. Dr. Yosef B. Jochannan, John G. Jackson, Dr. Bobby E. Wright, Joel A. Rogers, e.t.c.) traced Black Atheism (i.e. primitive skepticism, non-theistic spirituality, e.t.c.) through the allegorical metaphors of the ancient Egyptians in their wisdom literature (i.e. Book of Coming Forth By Day and by Night, Metu Neter: Vol 1-3, e.t.c.), poems (i.e. The Song of the Harper, e.t.c.) and many different African tribes (i.e. certain Zulus, Pygmies, Camroons, e.t.c.). Moreover, when Black Atheist of this school of thought discuss their Black Atheism they often use appellations such as "Anti Theos", "Against Theos", "Against Greek Gods", "Anti White Supremacy", "Anti Greek Culture", "Anti Tethys", e.t.c. The reason for these appellations is due to the fact that Atheism as taught by the Eurocentric Greeks wasn't accepted by the overall Greek government. To be an Atheist in ancient Greece meant social suicide (i.e. imprisonment, exiled, and/or put to death). Now! The question is raised where did the Greeks obtain their Atheistic stance? Well, we know from the Father of Greek History (i.e. Herodotus) that the Greeks traveled up-n-down Africa learning all sorts of ideas in order to take back to their homeland and repackaged them into a workable Eurocentric framework. Nevertheless, this form of Black Atheism (i.e. school of thought) can be observed and/or learned through Afrocentric Black Atheist organizations (i.e. Black Atheists of Atlanta, Atheos Records, e.t.c.). I often refer to this type of Atheism as the purest form of Atheism I've ever came across throughout my 27 years as an Atheist. In 2007 Eurocentric scholar Michael Lackey, University of Florida English professor, generally described Black Atheist conceptions of the death of God as a cause for personal and political hope; so, Black Atheist in their secular vision of social and political justice argue that only when the culture adopts and internalizes a truly Atheist politics one based on pluralism, tolerance, and freedom will radical democracy be achieved. This type of Black Atheism (i.e. school of thought, e.t.c.) I describe as more of a milder watered down version of Black Atheism because it encompasses Multiculturalism and/or other so-called liberal progressive ideas which are more receptive of Eurocentric culture and can be observed or learned through Black Atheist organizations (i.e. Black Atheists of America, Black Nonbelievers of Atlanta, Black Skeptics Group, Black Freethinkers, e.t.c.).

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  12. Nice APB from the Black Authenticity police: The groups you disdain do indeed espouse a "watered down version of Black Atheism" i.e., they affirm and promote the inalienable human rights of all marginalized and oppressed groups rather than supplanting white supremacy with a bankrupt heterosexist homophobic essentialist paradigm of Afrocentrism trotted out by BA of A etc.

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  13. "They (i.e. Black Skeptics, Black Atheist of America, Black Nonbelievers of Atlanta, e.t.c.) affirm and promote the inalienable human rights of all marginalized and oppressed groups". [End Quote]

    Really? I couldn't tell, Mr. Skeptic. If you multicultural Atheist were sooo concerned about defending the oppressed and/or marginalized groups; then, you ought to defend the views of Black Atheist of Atlanta and Atheos Records. We're an oppressed and margianlized group too; but, I don't see you up-n-arms!

    You speak with a forked tongue, Mr. Skeptic; so, I'd expect that from a group who chooses to identify its philosophy and/or mission with racial mixing, abortion, homophobia and heterophobic views. Nevertheless, if overthrowing White Supremacy is not an issue with you; then, move out of the way and let Black Atheist of Atlanta do the dirty work. More often than not, Mr. Skeptic, its always that 1% of individuals and/or groups who really get the job done...while the rest just sit on their ass and watch from the sidelines!

    The Black Atheist of Atlanta I describe as those 1%'ers (i.e. One Percenter); yet, 19% of you Black Atheist clowns are apologist while the remaining 1% (i.e. 80-19-1 principle, 1% rule, e.t.c.), which I and the Black Atheist of Atlanta represent, is the real leader of Atheism (i.e. Black Atheism). By doing the little extra efforts the Black Atheist of Atlanta has learned to capitalize on the mistakes within the Black Atheist community; so, as Black Atheist we may not individually effect the environment surrounding us; but, collectively under Black Nationalism we can and this I regard the 1% (i.e. 80-19-1 principle, 1% rule, e.t.c.) as a percentage of our overall performance.

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  14. Go study Zora Neale Hurston, Mr. Skeptic, her legacy has been surmounted and/or co-opted by the liberal progressive side of Black Atheist. They would like to paint her as a heroin for multi-culturalism; but, that's not what the historical record demonstrates. This is a quote extract from Zora Neale Hurston to someone named Countee Gullen in 1943...eerily similar to something we would've read from Black Nationalist Stokely Carmichael:

    "I shall probably never become a liberal! Some of the stuff that has passed for courage among Negro leaders is nauseating. I know that the Anglo Saxon mentality is one of violence. Violence is his religion! He has gained everything he has by it, and respects nothing else. The white man is not going to surrender for mere words what he has fought and died for.If black people want anything substantial we must speak with the SAME WEAPONS. My stand is clear! Either we must do something about it that the white man will understand and respect, or shut up". [Kaplan, Carla. "Zora Neale Hurston: A Life in Letters". Anchor Books, 2002]

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