Year of Award
2023
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Type
Master of Arts (MA)
Degree Name
History
Department or School/College
History
Committee Chair
Tobin Shearer
Commitee Members
Jeff Wiltse, Matthew Strohl
Keywords
Motown, respectability politics, Black history, film history, 1970s, 1980s
Publisher
University of Montana
Subject Categories
Cultural History | Social History | United States History
Abstract
At the start of the 1970s, Berry Gordy, Jr., moved Motown Industries to Los Angeles to expand into the film and television industries. Just as in the music industry, Gordy utilized respectability politics to navigate a segregated market to appeal to a wider audience. As rhetoric around notions of respectability changed perspectives on the Black experience, Gordy’s business practices represented a traditional tactic for uplift ideology that he sought to demonstrate in his film. In the context of national changes and industrial trends, Gordy balanced building credibility, establishing a profitable studio, and creating a positive image throughout the 70s and 80s. As Black-casted content ebbed and flowed in the entertainment industry, Gordy’s work remained a part of the national conversation on the proper way to represent a marginalized community facing decades of stereotyped portrayals.
Recommended Citation
Ambs, Nicholas Andrew, "Motown Movie Magic: Respectability, Gender, and Authenticity in Crossover Films, 1972-1989" (2023). Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers. 12095.
https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/12095
© Copyright 2023 Nicholas Andrew Ambs