Abstract:
Since the beginning of the implementation of a welfare state in the United States of America, there
have been several opinions on whether these programs were really helping the poor.
In the Seventies, one category stood out among all recipients and became known under the label
welfare queen. This trope aimed at depicting mothers - mostly African Americans - as scammers of
the system, collecting multiple checks and having no intention of giving up the benefits of their
status. The construction of this image is based on racial and gender biases and continues to orient
the public debate on the function of the welfare state.
During this decade, Blaxploitation films contributed to accentuating stereotypes of African
Americans, depicting them as violent and promiscuous. Nevertheless, there were also different
kinds of works which gave the audience a more realistic representation of said minority by
considering a broader range of aspects. The aim of this work is to discuss films, documentaries and
TV series that go beyond the trope of the welfare queen and broadening the perspective on African
American mothers in the Seventies.
