Beyonce's Formation: Historical Context Flashcards
When and where is the Formation music video set?
- Set in and referencing the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 (epitomised most vividly in the music video by the sequences featuring Beyonce on the police car half submerged underwater) most noticeable affecting New Orleans in America.
What was the response to the Government’s handling of Hurricane Katrina and why?
- Many people affected by the hurricane and subsequent mass flooding did not have enough support and many felt that the US government let them down partially due to race.
What occured in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and why?
-In the immediate wake of Hurricane Katrina, a lack of police/military presence within the area led to lootings and an upsurge of criminal activity.
What did martial law do to black communities after Hurricane Katrina?
- Martial law saw many black communities victimised and wrongly accused during this period of relative lawlessness.
What tensions occured after Hurricane Katrina and why and who were they directed at?
- Racial tensions in the region (mirrored across the whole of America at the time) post Katrina showed a lack of / slow response by President George Bush and his administration.
Who challenged the treatment of the US government and what effect did this have?
- In late 2005, late rappper / musician Kanye West appeared before millions, on a live telethon for Hurricane Katrina.
- He accused the president thus: “George bush doesn’t care about Black people.”
- West’s outburst subsequently helped spur a national debate about the White House’s response to Hurricane Katrina.
Racial tensions have been high in America post what?
- Post slavery, racial tensions have been high in America for many years.
What is still believed to exist to this day and where?
- A racial hierarchy is still believed to exist in which equal treatment is not given.
- (Note the lack of white people within this music video as a direct challenge to this notion)
Famous racial protests and advocates
- From a civil rights movement (1954-1968) within the country spearheaded by black politicians and activists ranging from Martin Luther King to Malcom X and the Black Panthers; to more recent events such as the Rodney King beating by numerous (white) police officiers and the subsequent Los Angeles rioting of 1992 - many of these issues and events are echoed and mirrored throughout the imagery and lyrics of this music video.
What is Black Lives Matter?
- Black Lives Matter (typified through social media at the time as #blacklivesmatter) was started as a reaction to police inequality and the alarming amount of black people killed by American police or within their custody.
Why can it be believed that Black people are more likely to face mistreatment in the custody of the police in the US and how does Formation exemplify this?
- It is believed and statstics actually support a disproportionate amount of black people targeted by ploice (exemplified in the music video by the small black boy dancing in front of the riot police.
Perspectives of Formation
- Beyonce invites audiences to interpret historical circumstances through her music video here: many se her video as a timely rallying cry, whereas critics tend to see her statements as tokenism and based in commercial markets of profit - citing that although the video might seem political, Beyonce is NOT a politician.
How is the slave trade era of the US represented in Formation by Beyonce?
The slave trade era of the US is also represented within this music video through Beyonce’s clothing, location, sombre tone, etc.
