Black Death: Why the Black Guy Dies First
As a long-time horror fan, it is difficult not to be fascinated by the creative kills found in many films, one of the most glorified aspects of the genre. As a teacher passionate about the black perspective, it is equally impossible for me to not overanalyze the themes and tropes of horror. It is easy to see then, how I fell down the rabbit hole of one of the most commonly joked-about tropes in the genre, the black character dies first.
One thing I love about the horror genre is its willingness to embrace taboo subjects. This includes race, and, more commonly death, producing headlines, protests, and think pieces for decades. The final girl, a familiar trope for most horror fans, has been the face of misogyny and the face of feminism. The final girl is usually the most innocent character; she, along with her purity, defeats the great evil.
A less common discussion is the one that can be found around the first victim. Outside of a few jokes about black people dying first, it is an under-analyzed aspect of the genre. It does not take a large catalog of horror knowledge to see that the black character does not always die first, but this idea is so prevalent that it must exist for a reason.
Are there common characteristics found within the first victim that make this idea more prevalent in the minds of fans? It is necessary…
