Black entertainment capture: Social identity & political constraint

While many Black entertainers possess social capital that can make them valuable in the scope of Black politics and social movements (particularly as public communicators), their competing interests pose a conundrum. Despite being in an advantageous position to create social change in the context of racial issues, the consequences of occupying such a position can be detrimental to their class interests. Thus, the cross-pressured Black entertainer must make strategic considerations if they choose to publicly involve themselves in Black social movements and communication of racial issues. These considerations and the results that follow, however, have implications for their involvement in the scope of Black politics. The focus of this dissertation will be to navigate the unique constraints placed upon Black entertainers and how these constraints affect their behavior within the context of Black politics.