Images of African Americans in our culture abound--on television, in films, on the radio, and in newsprint. Whether in works by African Americans--most notably popular music, film, and to a growing degree, television programs--or works about African Americans from documentaries to news coverage--strong images pervade our public consciousness. Mediated Messages and African American Culture is the first book to examine these images and messages as a whole. Bringing together works by leading scholars, this collection examines such vital topics as the relationship between black men and the police, the state of the African American press, and the perpetuation of images of African Americans as poor, violent, and undereducated. Timely case studies and the combination of theory and practice make this text both up-to-date and thorough in its analysis of the image and portrayal of African Americans in the media. Mediated Messages and African American Culture will be of great interest to students who study popular culture, black popular culture, African American history, and the media. The book's critical discussion about the treatment of African Americans in the media is unique in its coverage and depth.