Samuel L. Jackson

Samuel L. Jackson

Samuel L. Jackson was born on December 21, 1948 in Washington, D.C. He was raised in Chattanooga, Tennessee by his grandmother. Jackson graduated from Morehouse College in 1972 and performed skits about racial inequality with a theatre company. He moved to New York City where his friendship with Spike Lee helped him land his first movie gigs. In 1994, he had landed a role in the cult hit, Pulp Fiction. By the age of 63, he had appeared in more than 100 films. In 2011 he was named the highest grossing actor of all time with more than $7.2 billion in wealth. In 1994, after establishing a reputation as one of Hollywood's hardest-working actors, Jackson got a chance to play the pivotal role of his career in Quentin Tarantino's instant cult classic, Pulp Fiction. Jackson was able to play as Jules Winnfield, a bible-reciting killer with a blind fury of temper. . He received an Academy Award nomination for the role.

Caricature roles Jackson has played throughout his career

Pulp Fiction (1994)

According to the Jim Crowe Museum of Racist Memorabilia, “The brute caricature portrays black men as innately savage, animalistic, destructive, and criminal." Jackson plays this role in the movie Pulp Fiction in which he, Jules Winnfield, is working for a mafia boss. His rogue technique of dealing with people that owed money or had information was extremely destructive and gruesome. He would ironically recite verses from the bible while shooting his victims at point blank range. The character Jackson plays fits within the role of the brute and is feared throughout the film.

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Django Unchained (2012)

Jackson has also been portrayed as the Tom caricature. According to the Jim Crowe Museum of Racist Memorabilia, “The Tom caricature portrays black men as faithful, happily submissive servants." In the film, Django Unchained, Jackson plays the role of a servant/slave by the name of Stephen. He has hate for the other slaves and is overly happy to serve his white master. It seems almost backward to see a slave disrespect and mistreat other slaves as cruels as its own master. 

Lakeview Terrace (2008)

The Nat caricature portrays African and African American males as "angry, crazed, revengeful brutes with a bloodthirsty hatred for whites." Like many anti-black caricatures, the Nat portrayal was popularized during American slavery. Jackson plays Abel Turner, a neighbor/police officer who is driven to creating havoc for the new family that moved-in. The new family is white and does not understand why he has such a vendetta against them.The film portrays Jackson as this stereotype of the Nat caricature.