A Rise in Racial Stereotype Incidents Caught on Camera

Since the beginning of October, three viral incidents involving racial stereotypes have been videotaped and gained millions of views across social media. First, there was Corey Lewis, a black man who was babysitting two white children. 

Video then surfaced of a white Brooklyn woman falsely accusing a 9-year-old black boy of sexual assault.

In St. Louis, a white woman attempted to deny entry to a young black man to their apartment building. 

So why are we seeing so many of these incidents, particularly over the past year, including Permit Patty, BBQ Becky and Coupon Carl?

"This is definitely not a new phenomenon," said Kelly Welch (pictured above), professor of sociology and criminology whom studies race and ethnicity.

"White people have been falsely suspecting black people--particularly young black men and boys--of this stuff forever. Part of the reason this is coming to our attention more recently is because of greater awareness and a reluctance to tolerate it. Having the ability to record these events (and the fact that people now actually care enough to document them) brings it to our attention in a way that was more challenging in the past. "

Welch points out in the Cornerstore Caroline case, surveillance footage did not support her claims that she was assaulted. Had video evidence not been available, police may have charged the child. She says that this particular incident is a result of progress, but we still have a ways to go.

"Yet underneath the progress, what is evidenced is an ongoing typification of blacks as criminals. To stop this from happening in the first place, we need to continually have those stereotypes challenged, just as they were in these three recent incidents."

To speak with Welch, click on her headshot above, email mediaexperts@villanova.edu or call 610-519-5152.