As Women’s History Month concludes, the attention of the nation has been formally focused on women for the month of March. In 1978, Women’s History Month began as Women’s History Week in Sonoma County. Like other designated months for ethnicity, March is a time when the good, the bad, and the ugly relative to women are discussed.

The movie “Madea Goes to Jail” falls into the category of the ugly. Its ugliness revolves around the buffoonery of a figure critical to the Black matriarchal family structure — Mother Dear (Madea, for short).

The endearing name of “Mother Dear” represents the highest qualities of womanhood: brilliance, strength, courage, compassion, and charity, among others.

Dr. Dorothy I. Height, who this week in Washington, D.C., celebrated her 97th birthday in her office building on the same street as the White House (Pennsylvania AveNUE NW), has no biological children, but embodies the virtues of “Mother Dear.” Throughout her life she has exemplified intellectualism, fortitude, service, and sisterhood for nearly 100 years.

Marian Robinson, the first granny (mother of first lady Michelle Obama) is a “Mother Dear.” She partnered with her husband to instill the qualities of academic preparation, hard work, tenacity and concern for others in her two children. Her coupling of kindness and discipline provides the frame through which Malia and Sasha Obama may engage the world. Michelle Obama and Marian Robinson represent the portrait of Mother Dear in the White House.

And my Mother Dear, Mrs. Ellalee Fountain Flowers is my most radiant example of the classic Mother Dear, primarily because of her saintly deeds. My Mother Dear is legendarily kind, wise, beautiful, diplomatic, disciplined, compassionate, and tough. And did I mention she is as beautiful as the ancient African Queen Nefertiti and as crafty as the Roman Goddess Minerva?

Such examples of real life Mother Dears is mocked by the fictional character Madea in Tyler Perry’s movie. The movie reduces an iconic image to her most guttural dimension. Yes, it is only a movie. Yes, it was funny. However, all that makes one giggle is not good. Madea’s character is undisciplined, violent, caustic, irreverent and just plain out of control.

I do not know any Black women who act like Madea. Worst yet, the character (or caricature) is Tyler Perry in drag. If women wish to mock themselves, fine. For a man in women’s clothing doing so is another issue. Yet, Mr. Perry in drag follows recent, and not so recent, raunchy portrayals of women by men including Flip Wilson, Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence. To his credit, Dave Chapelle refused to negatively portray Black women in his comedy skits. His contract was not renewed. Hmmm.

What does such reveal about the movie industry and society at large on the issue of tarnishing the image of Black women? The Statue of Liberty herself is an example. In 1886, Lady Liberty, with broken shackles around her feet was a given to the United States by France in recognition of the emancipation of African-Americans following the American Civil War.

As are most statues her color was a beautiful bronze. Over time, America let the Statue of Liberty’s complexion tarnish to mold-like green.

The late Elmer P. Martin, professor of sociology at Morgan State University analyzed matriarchal Black family structure. Martin challenged the European “scholarship” emanating from the Victorian era which held that there was no formalized Black family structure.
His work revealed the centrality of a matriarchal figure (we refer to as Mother Dear or Madea) who serves as leadership figure to her children and those of the community (village).

If women are co-progenitors of human life and historic partners in the development of civilization, the portrayal of women, particularly Black women, in popular culture should reflect a balanced view of their contributions to life, as we know it. For movie actors and directors to place fame and fortune over facts does not serve Black culture well. There should be no tension between laughter and learning.

Flowers is an NNPA columnist and executive director and CEO of the Black Leadership Forum.