"Black is Beautiful"

This exhibit seeks to explore the ways in which the "Black is Beautiful" movement transformed the portrayal of African Americans in popular media. In the midst of the Civil Rights movement, corporations came to view black consumers as a viable target market and began to search for new ways to appeal to this population. By embracing traditionally African traits such as the Afro, and promoting African American culture and history, the advertising industry participated in redefining accepted beauty standards and engaged in campaigns of racial and consumer empowerment.

This exhibit is part of the Hartman Center's Race and Ethnicity in Advertising website.

-Elizabeth Butcher

Duke University, Trinity College of Arts and Sciences, Class of 2020