Copyright by Mark Douglas Cunningham 2010 The Dissertation Committee for Mark Douglas Cunningham Certifies that this is the approved version of the following dissertation: ONCE UPON A TIME IN SOUTH CENTRAL LOS ANGELES: RACE, GENDER AND NARRATIVE IN JOHN SINGLETON’S HOOD TRILOGY Committee: S. Craig Watkins, Supervisor Mark Anthony Neal Charles Ramirez-Berg Karin G. Wilkins Helena Woodard ONCE UPON A TIME IN SOUTH CENTRAL LOS ANGELES: RACE, GENDER AND NARRATIVE IN JOHN SINGLETON’S HOOD TRILOGY by Mark Douglas Cunningham, B.S., M.A. Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School of The University of Texas at Austin in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy The University of Texas at Austin May 2010 Dedication To My Papa, Louis Douglas Cunningham, Sr. (1927-1997), who must have seen into the future when he called me Professor as a boy, and my first cousin and little sister, Heather Nicole Mitchell (1975-2010), who left us far too soon. I love and miss you. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS As I write these acknowledgements, I am reminded of something singer/actress Vanessa Williams wrote in the liner notes to her album The Sweetest Days: “I would like to be witty and clever…But I am way too tired.” That said, what the following sentiments lack in poetry, they more than make up for in sincere gratitude and reverence. I was blessed to have a most wonderful and supportive committee made up of a group of erudite and invaluable scholars that have nurtured and looked after me throughout my undergraduate and graduate years. My dissertation chair, S. Craig Watkins, has been a mentor and brother to me. He has challenged my thoughts and presented me with numerous opportunities to shine as a scholar and student. I hope to have his counsel for the rest of my years. I will be eternally grateful for the teaching and care I have received from Charles Ramírez-Berg throughout my entire college career. He has taught me more about movies than anyone I know. I am a better film scholar and writer because I have had his guidance and instruction. As an undergraduate, I was in Karin Wilkins’ first class here at UT Austin and from that day until now, she has always been supportive and encouraging of me. The writing of this dissertation was made easier because of the many things Karin taught me about media theory and proposal writing. Mark Anthony Neal has been a breath of fresh air in my academic life. He has turned me on to books, music and scholarship I knew little to nothing about. I very much miss the days of sitting with v him in a coffee shop soaking in whatever he had to teach me. Many of the most joyful and pleasant moments I have had at UT Austin have come from being in literature courses taught by Helena Woodard. Our many moments holed up in her office talking about books and other popular culture events has sustained me as a student and the extension of her wisdom from the very funny stories she tells will stay with me forever. I have also been very fortunate to have the following on my academic journey: Drs. Lynn and Lynda Miller have given me love, support, food and a “summer house/writer’s colony” to get away from everything and have a place to express my thoughts and ideas. I love them both terribly! Dr. Susan McLeland is a fabulous scholar, teacher, mother and woman. I am so blessed to know her. Dr. Joni Jones has been so supportive of my writing and work as a graduate student. I am thankful that she is in my corner. Many thanks to Dr. Paula J. Massood for including my work in her collection on filmmaker Spike Lee and for having enough confidence in my writing abilities to recommend me for other publications. In my personal life, I have so many people rooting for me that I am like a winning, one-man football team. To my mother, Sally A. Cunningham, I have this to say: WE DID IT!!! You have been tough and hard as nails, but it was done out of love and I know that without you holding me accountable as a man, I would not have come as far as I have. I love you to death, Mommy. My aunt, Barbara C. Wright, has loved and supported me unconditionally since I was a baby. Whatever I wanted or needed, she has been there for me in ways I probably do not even know about. You cannot have a better set of cheerleaders than my aunts, Peggy Deeds and Pamela Hayes. I can always count on them both for a phone call to check on me (or to get on me for not calling back!), but vi most importantly, I can always count on them to show me immeasurable love. My uncle, Louis D. Cunningham, Jr., has always expressed how proud he is of me and I thank him so much for that and his love. My sister, Karen Dixon, is my rock. I can always hear the love in her e-mails and phone calls to me. I love you and my nephew, Kamron, more than words can say. Thanks also to my very supportive uncle, Lee Dixon, my loving and red bean and turnips-making aunt, Argusta C. Owens, and my ATL diva/cousin, Shunda Dixon. My aunt, Helen Roberts, means more to me that I could ever write here. She has taught me so much in the time that I have known her that I could fill a library of books. Most importantly, she has constantly reminded me, “It takes stick and stay to do what you’re doing and you have plenty of it!” I love you so much. Many thanks for the support and love from my aunt, Brenda Joyce White, and my uncles, James Otis Hall, Jr., Raymond Hall, B.J. Deeds, Jr., Ronald Wright, and Larry Roberts. My cousins, Monica and Keevin Thompson, are my favorite married couple in the world. Much of the reason I was able to finish this arduous task is because I had them pushing me all the way. I love you guys! My cousin, Audra Johnson, has brought me so much comfort and peace on this journey. I thank her for her understanding and patience with me. Joyce Simpson and Patsy (P.J.) Larremore are the best and most loving cousins! Thank you so much to my aunt, Faye McNeal and family friend Vanessa Duncan for their love and support. Much thanks to all the rest of my wonderful aunts and uncles, including the stalwart Juanita “Sister” Carter, Ruby Washington, Mayme Johnson and Pinkie Johnson, and my cousins/brothers and sisters: Tracy Cunningham, La Christa Deeds Brown, Terry Deeds, Wiley Mitchell, Craig Cunningham, Marcus “Bamm” Smith and (Lil’) Louis D. Cunningham, Lydia Hall, James Otis Hall III, Joseph Hall, Brandy White, Marcel vii Andrews, Dr. Michelle and Jeff Williams, Tonya Griffin, Wayne and Eric Simpson, and my darling Heather Nicole Mitchell, to whom this work is dedicated. De’Sean Lynette Roby should at least have the P portion of this Ph.D. She sat with me and listened to myriad sentences and paragraphs. She brought me food so I would not have to worry about anything but writing. She understood when I was frustrated and was being a Leo. You are my ride or die, Dubba Deezs! Bronson Lewis is more than my best friend (since 2nd grade), he is my blood brother. I love you, Q-Dawg! To my good friends and sisters, LaTres Yeldell and Nicole Yeldell Smith for introducing me to Boyz N the Hood and Ice Cube, not realizing they had changed my life. Thank you also to their mother and family friend, Shirley Yeldell for making me “killer tea” and being so supportive. My darling Dr. Deborah Jaramillo is my partner in crime and my guru on all things theoretical. I am impressed by her genius and consider myself very much her student! I am so glad to have Holly Custard and AJ Johnson in my life. They have given me friendship, love, encouragement, and most importantly, my godsons, Diego and Dashiell. Jeannette Bellemeur has been a sounding board and sympathetic shoulder. We have spent many nights in coffee shops writing, drinking “milk and Pepsis” and eating crazy hippie made sandwiches! I love you. Dr. Maisha Akbar has been a source of love and support to me throughout my entire graduate career. She is a fine scholar and mother, and I am really in awe of her. Dr. Henry Puente is my brother, fellow obsessive movie companion, and one of my biggest fans. Dr. Amy Darnell has always been there for me even when I slacked on my end of the friendship bargain because I was overly obsessing about myself. Thanks to my favorite nurse, Rose Torres for the basketball games, shopping discussions and tremendous support. Ralna and Erica “Sissy” Anderson viii have loved me, fed me, comforted me, laughed with me and made me part of their family. Terry Russell has been so very loving of me and I thank her so much for the support and friendship she has shown me over these years. My “second wife” and brother, Tanisha and Russell Evans, have been so good to me. I thank them for their love and support and for trusting me to be their son Jordan’s (Uncle Mark’s “Stankyleg”) godfather. I am thankful for Tarsha Johnson and Latrice Keys for always keeping me in their thoughts during this process.