"Stuck In-Between" : The Construction of the Tragic Mulatta in Classical Hollywood Cinema

Abstract

Rather than creating a thesis that provides insight on the construction of blackness as a whole, the author ties an interest in the female experience and intersectionality to produce a piece that solely focuses on the image of the mixed race female figure. Although Birth of a Nation is a film that covers a wide range of racist distortions and representations, it was the first film to feature a mulatta figure in American cinematic history. This development set up a solidified image of mixed race femininity. The author traces these themes through the films Imitation of Life (1934), Show Boat (1951), and Pinky (1949).