Racist Media in Native Son

A scene from Pierre Chenal's 1950 film Native Son. Courtesy: http://filmcomment.com/

Native Son, a novel by Richard Wright, is often named as one of the greatest pieces of literature in showing experiences of the African-American people. There are many issues that the novel raises regarding racial segregation and torture. The novel exposes how black men and women had to live during the first half of the twentieth century, years after slavery ended. It portrays the treatment of black people by various quarters of social and political life. Among them is the press and, in particular newspapers. The newspapers' role is brought into the novel when pressmen significantly cover the death and murder of Miss Mary Dalton and the incidents following that, in the two chapters ‘Flight’ and ‘Fate’ of the novel. Like other institutions established and operated by white people newspapers too in the novel, are apparently racist; and they sensationalize more than inform the public about what is happening.

A close reading of newspaper headlines from newspapers like 'The Tribune' and 'The Time' included in the novel are sufficient to make us think that the newspapers want readers to get sensationalized, than to be informed. The newspapers discussed in the novel only serve what their white publishers want them to be, but not the prime responsibility generally expected of media – informing public; and more importantly, informing them with accuracy, balance and credibility. Moreover, when it comes to be an issue of race, media as portrayed in the novel have manipulated information so much that the press has become the most powerful weapon in white's hand for reinforcing racism.

Readers encounter journalists for the first time in the novel when they meet a private detective, Britten, hired to investigate the disappearance of Miss Mary Dalton, the only daughter of a prominent family of Mr. and Mrs. Dalton in the city. As a white man who considers himself a "do-gooder" for benefits of black people, Mr. Dalton is still not concerned with how media are racists. Nonetheless, he also knows that media have become largely sensational and exaggerating when they cater to readers stories about crimes, murders and deaths. Asking journalists present at his home to be careful enough not to produce misled stories about disappearance of his daughter, he says, "The way you men handle this will mean life or death to someone, someone close to this family, to me…" (189). This incident clearly shows that whites also are victims of unfair media treatment regarding some sensitive issues that concern life and death. Media sensationalization is a problem for all of victims in any case, regardless of their races.

But, as a matter of fact, the novel shows media treatment to blacks as more sensational, and more serious, in its effects than on the white family. There are numerous examples in the novel that show clearly that the newspapers are essentially racist that time; and the discriminating comments upon a black man at the individual level and the whole black community at the larger level is something they have taken for granted. Fore example, let's analyze a newspaper story Bigger happens to read. It is headlined "Reporters find Dalton girl's bones in furnace. Negro chauffeur disappears…Authorities hint sex crime" (228). What is most problematic with this headline is that like all other authorities, it too has hinted a sex crime in the incident. The newspaper, like authorities, has believed that whenever a crime in involvement of Negro occurs, it is very basic somehow that it involves a sex crime also. In other words, they have taken it for granted that black people are sex criminals whenever an opportunity allows them to be so. Had not the newspaper shared the faulty presumption, it could have made the headline in different, more neutral language. But, it cannot, for it's also a part of institutionalized racism. 

The story reads, "Indignation rose to white heat last night as the news of the Negro's rape and murder of the missing heiress spread through the city." This sentence and all other parts of the story are racist in a couple of ways. First, they focus too much on the race of the accused than the accused himself. Of course, they do mention his name in the story. But they also do mention the term "Negro" to represent him more than his name. The term is used more than necessary, in almost all paragraphs, "They are making a careful search of all abandoned buildings…said to be hideouts for Negro criminals", "all schools be closed until the Negro rapist and murderer was captured", "Negroes resembling Bigger Thomas were rounded-up", "Negro employees throughout the city had been dismissed from job" (229). It can, thus, be argued that the newspaper assumes crime - if it a crime - by a single Negro man, is crime done by the Negro race and, in turn, it holds the race responsible for it.   

Second, the newspaper presents the case as if it were already proved by the court and Bigger Thomas was already convicted. Press laws today (and perhaps that time also) do not allow journalists to present anyone accused to be involved in crime as one who actually is involved. That means, reports have to mention carefully that they are accused or alleged only, but not criminals or convicts hinting that the court may disprove the accusation. If they are presented as convicted criminals before they are convicted by the court, persons can file a case of defamation against the paper. But, here in the novel, the mentioned newspapers say he "did" it – "the Negro rapist and murderer". 

Third, the newspaper ignores its potential role in solving the case; rather incites whites to hate blacks more and more. The story quotes a white woman who said that she dismissed her black cook for "fear that she might poison the children" (229). Also, the report mentions that police are raiding each and every house of Negro people and they are being fired from jobs too. These all information serves nothing, but to make whites feel that blacks, indeed, are criminals and the two races should not live together. Further, more interestingly, the story concludes undermining mental and logical capacity the black people have in them, "(police) feel that the plan of the murder and kidnapping was too elaborate to be a work of a Negro mind" (229). In this way, the newspaper has also denied thinking power of the whole community.  

The effect is that all black people are frightened due to media. Bigger overhears two men talking about how police and papers are treating them while he is searching a room for hideout. One of them says, "The papers say they beatin' us up all over the city. They don' care whut black man they git. We's all dogs in they sight!" (235). It can be safely presumed here that the newspapers actually know this effect and the effect is deliberate, for they have deliberately used languages to incite the whites and frighten the blacks.     

Perhaps the strongest and most apparent example of racism that media, not only present, but more actively promote in the novel, is after the accused murderer Bigger faints during the inquest. Newspaper stories published that time present who is Bigger in much detail. The detailed description itself is questionable as it drags people's attention toward the person accused from the crime for which he is accused. It is problematic because in cases of crimes or whatsoever, what has been done has to be studied more seriously than who actually has done it.  Further, the story headlined "Negro rapist faints at inquest" (260) has more serious problems as it presents Bigger Thomas as a Negro, who was born to be criminal.

The lead (intro) of the story attributes an identity of "Negro sex-slayer" to Bigger. The third paragraph quotes a white girl who says, "He looks exactly like an ape!" (260). It is understood today that nothing can be more humiliating and defaming to human beings than when someone compares them with animals, when people dehumanize people. By placing such a quote in the very beginning of the story, the newspaper has hinted that it accepts and promotes what the girl has said. This promotion is clear when the next paragraph reiterates the comparison, "His lower jaw protrudes obnoxiously, reminding one of a jungle beast" (260). It is not a quote by someone, but words written by the reporter and published by the editor. That means, it is what the newspaper believes or what the editors feel will sell the newspapers.

This belief is reinforced time and again, "All in all, he seems a beast utterly untouched by the softening influences of modern civilization", "He seemed out of place in a white man's civilization" (260). It then quotes another journalist from Jackson, Mississippi, the place where Bigger was raised. That report from Mississippi is also not less intense in terms of its racist language. Further, it again stirs up hatred toward the race presenting not only Bigger, but all black men as "sex-slayers". "We make them know that if they so much as touch a white woman, good or bad, they cannot live" (261). And, it recommends segregations be made stronger, "Crimes such as Bigger Thomas murders can be lessened by segregating all Negroes in parks, playgrounds, cafes, theatres, and street cars. Residential segregation is imperative" (261). A newspaper arguing for segregation is itself a hint that the media are racist, all in all.  

In the same fashion, another story titled "Troops guard Negro killer's trial" (338) highlights quotes from various people which are very much racist. A psychiatric in the report says Bigger may have done many other similar crimes before. Likewise, a psychologist at a university says all black men, including Bigger, find white women more attractive and happen to rape them many times unconsciously. Although Bigger seems to agree on it, the psychologist's comment is objectionable. The story also mentions that sentiments against the killer are rising and people are demanding death penalty. These all do nothing, but again incite the white mob to act violently against the black race. In addition to that, as many as fourteen newspapermen speak at the court defending the case for the state (350). It clearly sides themselves against Bigger in particular, and the black race in general.

Jan and Max have identified quite clearly how newspapers have been promoting racism. Jan, in conversation with Bigger in his cell, says, "How on earth you are going to change men's hearts when the newspapers are fanning hate into them every day?" (269). Similarly, Max in his statement at the court also remarks that press breached its boundary in proving Bigger Thomas guilty before the court actually hears the case. He argues that Bigger's mind and minds of other black people are "conditioned by the press of the nation; a press which has already reached a decision as to his guilt, and in countless editorials suggested the measure of his punishment" (355).

As accounts of daily events of a particular time and a particular place, newspaper stories represent what a society is and what it has as its values. In this respect, news stories in Native Son have also presented racial discrimination and segregation existing in that society then. Modern readers may find the reports unacceptable in terms of language, presentation and style. But, given the harsh treatments all blacks went through that time, the newspaper reports are natural. In this way, inclusion of such stories in the novel makes readers better understand what racism was and how it was institutionalized during that time.