ABSTRACT
Nearly all US news consumers who paid attention to coverage of Freddie Gray's death know about the mother who ran after her son to prevent him from looting or participating in the chaotic Baltimore riots. This chapter explores whether, in her actions and in her post-hoc explanations, Graham subverted or, alternatively, confirmed the standard stereotypes. Professional journalists nearly always supported and praised Graham, although they typically mentioned that physical discipline of children is controversial. Both news and entertainment media played a significant role in hyping the story and positioning Graham herself as a metaphor for larger social issues involving race and motherhood. Journalists often cause collateral damage to individuals like Graham, that is, those who find themselves by happenstance at the center of stories. Although news coverage increasingly avoids monster-saint caricatures and the Sapphire, Jezebel, and Mammy stereotypes have changed, the representations of Graham show a continuing legacy of damaging tropes.
