White Victims, Black Villains: Gender, Race, and Crime News in US Culture

Are all victims white? Are all villains black? From fears of "amalgamation" used to fan anti-abolitionist flames in nineteenth century New York, to a white female highway patrol officer's "fear of a Mandingo sexual encounter" that was said to have led to the beating and arrest of black motorist Rodney King, conceptualizations of race and gender have fueled fears about crime in the US, past and present. White Victims, Black Villains traces how race and gender have combined in news media narratives about crime and violence in US culture. The book argues that the criminalization of African Americans in US culture has been most consistently and effectively legitimized by news media deeply invested in protecting and maintaining white supremacy. An illuminating, and often shocking text,White Victims, Black Villainsshould be read by anyone interested in race and politics.

Carol A. Stabile is Associate Professor in the Department of Mass Communication at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee