Although the wild and wacky comedic images of blacks on shows like "Martin" or "In Living Color" are no longer prominent on television, the stereotypical impression of black people as somewhat gullible and naive remains.

And yet, other negative perceptions continue to perpetuate through the hip-hop community, where lyrics sometimes focus on violence and the degradation of women.

With the political climate changing, and in light of Black History Month, the question now is will a positive attitude toward blacks in media portrayals emerge?

Yahya Kamalipour, professor of communication and head of the Department of Communication at Purdue University Calumet, said there have been some positive changes, especially in television, with African-American shows.

"I remember 'Sanford and Son' then came 'The Cosby Show,'" he said.

"I think 'The Cosby Show' had a positive impact nationally and internationally," he said. "We live in a media environment in which people are visually oriented. That means they relate more to the visual and pictures rather than the printed media. Hence the impact of television."

Kamalipour said young people, in particular, see celebrities as role models, and a positive representation will have a positive impact while negative representation will get a negative impact.

He said "The Cosby Show" provided a positive impression of African-Americans and has been dubbed in many languages. He said it still is shown around the world.

"Of course, the election of President Barack Obama is an excellent event," Kamalipour said. "He is going to be an excellent role model, not only for African-Americans in the United States but for all minorities in the United States and elsewhere. This was an outstanding event and will be marked as a milestone in the history of America."

Since Obama took office, Kamalipour said there has been more coverage devoted to issues related to African-Americans in the media. He said they are more prominent on television.

Kamalipour said that's a positive development, and he expects that trend to continue in the future, with a positive impact on young people throughout the world.

On Martin Luther King Day, the day before Obama's historic inauguration, segments of King's "I Have a Dream" speech and later Obama's speech were played along with the background of songs like "Everyday People" by Arrested Development, an update of Chicago's Staple Singers song from the 1980s.

Rochelle Brock, executive director of the Urban Teacher Education Program at Indiana University Northwest in Gary, said there are plenty of stereotypes about cities, like Gary, which are majority African-American.

In recruiting teachers, Brock said her department has to overcome the negative perception from prospective students who believe they will have to "dodge bullets" as they walk the streets of Gary.

"Of course, there is crime but there is not the degree of crime that is presented in the local news," she said. "We read about the negative that occurs in Gary. There are few positive stories about Gary and its schools."

Still, educators say the image of black people in the media won't change overnight despite the election of the first African-American president of the United States.

As wonderful as it is to have a president who is African-American, he faces a heavy burden, said Danny Lackey, diversity coordinator for the Merrillville Community School Corp.

"When we have a person who is a minority, we put that person under a microscope," he said. "Barack Obama has had more press than any other president in my lifetime. We watch every move he makes. Part of that is because of the troubled times, the issues with the economy. Part of that is also because this is new terrain for us as a country. I do believe he is having a positive impact on the image of black American people, but I also believe that doesn't negate or take away the historical stereotypes that minority people have had to deal with when it comes to the media."

Elizabeth Johnson, assistant professor of history at Governor's State University, said there are far too many comparisons to Obama. She said his election does not represent the "parting of the red sea."

She said it's an "over romanticized" view that more blacks will be visible in the media in a positive light just because Obama has been elected, and that's simply not true.

"If, and when, a woman becomes president, that doesn't mean there will immediately be universal equality for all women. It doesn't mean that things will be fair for women just because the first woman has been elected president. We don't see instantaneous change. It's a process, a goal to work toward," Johnson said.