Stereotypes of African Americans

Blacks are often portrayed as athletic, religious, poor, musically talented, or criminals.
In early American history, the primary reason that Africans were in the colonies was as enslaved laborers transported by the slave trade.
The early stereotype for an African was of an ignorant man, so the slavers believed that they were only good for a more manual labour. Feeding them, and giving them a bed to sleep was their payment, in an attempt to civilize them.

Leonardo