The White Space & The Iconic Ghetto

Prompt: Define "The White Space" & "The Iconic Ghetto" and provide an example.

Written by Sabrina Whittaker | Race, Place, and Inequality

RE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AW9pklBXqk4

In this clip from The Fresh Prince of Belair, two white police officers have accused Will and Carlton of stealing a car. It appears they've even obtained a bogus confession to satisfy the system requirements for removing black people from white spaces. Aware of the bias and cynical of the system, Aunt Viv's communication style is reminiscent of the angry black woman trope. Yet, at the same time, Uncle Phil agrees to perform according to the expectations of the white space he's inhabiting. 

In this essay, we explore systemic racism by juxtaposing the concepts of white space and the iconic ghetto. The primary argument rests on their similarities and asserts that their interdependent relationship is evidence of systemic racism in the United States.  

How do we see the concept of the Iconic Ghetto played out in this clip?  

The iconic ghetto is the idea that black people originate from an all-encompassing ghetto where the residents are dangerous, disgruntled savages capable of little more than disruption. Within the United States, the iconic ghetto serves to perpetuate narratives historically pushed through minstrel shows. Minstrel shows used both black and white Americans to reinforce the idea that black people were only acceptable if they played a forgiving, docile role but suggested that everyone else be regarded as crude, morally corrupt, and violent. White Americans enjoyed and participated in these shows because they reinforced the social benefit of white cultural values and explained the economic lowliness of black Americans. Ironically, black Americans participated because the shows presented opportunities to advance socially and economically. Similarly, today, black people must choose when and how often to participate in a system that is destructive and occasionally fatal to their culture and sense of self.  

Within the clip, calling the kids "car thieves" justifies the officer's behavior even though it is later revealed that his story does not add up. When he yells, "wait a minute, buddy, who the hell do you think you're talking to!" at Uncle Phil, it is to assert dominance and ideally encourage him to back down from the disagreement. Instead of heeding, Uncle Phil raises his voice back. This is a bold move considering the increased risk of violence towards them when black Americans exhibit discontent. The officer must then up the ante or wager being caught in a lie and humiliated. If caught engaging in morally deficient practices, the officer risks granting an outsider entry to the white space and possibly damaging his reputation or downgrading the level of privilege he enjoys. Before we see where the interaction goes, a white savior enters, Henry Firth, Uncle Phil's law partner.

The nature of American capitalism dictates that to survive, black people must be more knowledgeable of how to fight the effects of systemic racism than white people. The reasoning for this is the American system's white culture base; unfortunately, the weaponization of white culture means minority cultures must choose between subscribing to harmful laws, regulations, and customs or risking punishment for self-expression.

How did class play a role in how the parents were able to combat racism by the police?   

The video established the officer's unsavory nature when it revealed the officer didn't notify Will or Carlton's parents or lawyer. Uncle Phil knows this to be true because he plays both roles. Uncle Phil's knowledge about law puts him in a position to defend himself against the harmful effects of systemic racism in the United States. Will and Carlton are proud and excited to see their parents defending themselves. It's important to note that the surprise and glee in their reaction are attributed to the parents' rare triumph over systemic racism and not in response to individual white men. The interaction is not over, however, and could still end poorly for the parents. Ultimately, Mr. Firth saves the day when he grants the black family acceptance into white space, perpetuating the white savior trope. It's based on a real-life phenomenon where any given pale American of passing appearance can grant minorities acceptance into a white space, sometimes even when opposition exists from other inhabitants of the space.

In a related video from What Would You Do, we see that inhabitants of white space do not react consistently to the presence of outsiders. When put in the uncomfortable position of watching injustice unfold in front of them, some customers chose to help, while others watched. For example, an Eastern European woman became very upset by a salesclerks' blatant racism, while others laughed nervously or left the store. Contrastingly, an African American man approached the situation calmly. Having been in a similar position before, the black customer defends the man by admitting he likes to dress similarly and explains that cloaking and performative gestures are necessary for navigating white spaces. To separate themselves from the iconic ghetto, black people must dress well and speak clearly according to white cultural standards because cloaking and performative gestures discourage white people from attacking or removing black people from white spaces. Aunt Viv's anger and offense are reasonable and would be expected if she were not a black woman. Uncle Phil's performance parallels the real-life black man interviewed in What Would You Do and provides a clear example of cloaking and performative gestures for viewers. 

Watch Here: Racially Profiled In High-End Store | What Would You Do?

Henry Firth's positive relationship with the four black bodies occupying white space is striking when measured against the officer's dismissive sentiment. The discrepancy encourages viewers to reconcile the difference between the two white men. One might ask why one responded with understanding, but the other with malice and prejudice. After Firth's outrage, Uncle Phil's sustained eye contact with the white officer confirms his acceptance into the space towards the end of the clip. The additional element of being a lawyer ironically places Uncle Phil higher on the United States' socioeconomic ladder than the officer considering typical pay and institutional knowledge accompanied by the position. This moment is undoubtedly embarrassing for the officer.

The White Space & The Iconic Ghetto

Throughout this essay, we've dissected a clip from The Fresh Prince of Belair depicting racial discrimination and resistance to systemic racism to understand the motivations behind each party involved. 

Using the concepts of white space and the iconic ghetto, 

• we addressed the officer's prejudiced behavior 
• (i.e., falsely accusing two black men driving a nice car, in an expensive area of California, of theft) 

• and Uncle Phil's strategic response 
• (i.e., seeking to work things out even though he knew the officer was lying). 

Uncle Phil initially chose to be docile and understanding because those are the traits white Americans associate with acceptable black people thanks to slavery, minstrel shows, and the American government's relatively homogenous white, landowning founding fathers. Despite several amendments throughout United States' history, laws largely reflect its founding fathers' values and primarily protect their interests while punishing cultural nonconformists. Thus, the inconsiderate origins and nature of the US government produce systemic racism, something a black lawyer would be aware of.

Systemic racism is a form of racism embedded in the laws and regulations of society. By definition, it's an organization's collective failure to provide an appropriate and professional service to people because of their color, culture, or ethnic origin. Individual participants need not be racist because the system normalizes racist behavior. As a result of systemic racism, white space represents opportunity, and the iconic ghetto becomes a symbol of blackness. The iconic ghetto and associated behavior then must apply to all black people regardless of where they're from or how they live. It's the assumption that black people are less intelligent, more violent, or impoverished. It's the implication that angry middle-class white women behave differently than upset ghetto black women. 

In summation, systemic racism allows white space and the iconic ghetto to persist because they justify white and black Americans' vastly different socioeconomic realities. The normalization of prejudice means black culture is graded on its ability to conform to white cultural norms and values. Thus, without the use of cloaking and performative gestures in white spaces, it is difficult or impossible for white Americans to distinguish middle-class black people from the impoverished because white people lack incentive to learn the difference. The irony is that for black Americans, social and economic standing hinge on their ability to understand and adhere to the standards of white culture in white spaces.