Who is the Black professional? Viewing the portrayals of African-American women in television series by Shondaland as a social project

Abstract

Contemporary popular culture is increasingly steeped in social commentary, and is more and more frequently used as a platform to engage with politically relevant themes. In this article, I deconstruct the Black professional, a character trope that features prominently in TV shows produced by Shonda Rhimes. My analysis is focused on the protagonists of Grey’s Anatomy and How to Get Away with Murder. While its theoretical framework is derived from certain considerations originating from the Black Arts Movement and intersectional feminist theory as introduced by bell hooks, I also view the discourse of the works discussed through the lens of African American history.