How Stereotypes and Pervasive Narratives Impact Missing Black Women

According to a 2019 Loyola University study, Black women receive less than 20% of news attention despite making up nearly 34% of missing women. Yet, even when missing Black women make headlines, the language used in their stories often differs from the language used in articles about non-Black missing women. But what causes these differences?

It is crucial to understand the historical context behind the depictions of Black women in media. Many deep-rooted stereotypes carry implications today. I refer to these tropes as “pervasive narratives”: tropes that still appear in modern media in various forms. One of the most important of these pervasive narratives for understanding Black women in the news is the “Jezebel” trope. The “Jezebel” trope originated during chattel slavery, when Black women were portrayed as “immoral” and “lascivious”. This narrative was essentially a form of victim-blaming, used as a justification for the violence these women faced. In more recent years, the Jezebel stereotype has bled into how Black women are treated both in media and in real life, as a Georgetown Law study found that adults believe that “black girls ages 5-19 need less nurturing, protection, support and comfort than white girls of the same age, and that black girls are more independent, [and] know more about adult topics…”. Black women and girls are dehumanized and adultified. As a result, people are less sympathetic, and Black women or girls are taken less seriously across the board.

The second of these pervasive narratives is the “Strong Black Woman” trope. This trope paints Black women and girls as less vulnerable (or even immune) to pain and hardship. Again, the roots of this stereotype can be traced back to slavery and the exploitation of Black women for labor. This over-emphasis on strength and resilience diminishes the well-being of Black women and reduces the likelihood that they will be seen as victims to the same extent as other women. Writing about the Mammy trope (a predecessor to the Strong Black Woman trope), Dr. Carolyn West wrote, “The Mammy image…[reinforces] the stereotype that Black women…effortlessly meet these obligations without any desire to delegate responsibilities to others,” (West 1995).

Today, these narratives continue to appear in media, albeit typically in less explicit form than in past works. Yet, beyond surface-level analysis, it is clear that they shape how Black women are treated both in fiction and in reality. In healthcare, Black women’s health is often neglected, causing higher maternal mortality rates and hypertension, as well as elevated stress levels and rates of depression. For missing Black women and girls, these tropes show up in media coverage. Black women and girls are often characterized as “risk-takers” with “troubled pasts”. Rather than placing blame on the perpetrator, victims are framed as contributors to their own circumstances. One of the primary challenges of anti-Black tropes is the pervasiveness of these narratives on a systemic level. Even when they are not obvious, they remain as subconscious influences in daily life. Yet, in situations as delicate as missing persons cases, these biases are brought to the forefront, leading to tragic results.