The colors red, white, blue, and black are three core colors to Americans. The colors signify patriotism, sacrifice, and freedom. Color has an overwhelming impact on the way that humans perceive images and visual text. Beyoncé’s use of the colors red, white, blue and black in the new music video “Formation” signifies African American history and stereotypes faced in present day society.

 Beyoncé’s intention for the color black in the video was to sign light on the stereotypes through the color black in her video. The color black is very permanent, it is hard to erase this color or cover it with another. In this way, the color black is similar to a stereotype it stays there until someone does the work to change it. Beyoncé is trying to show people what kind of people this stereotype is affecting in this panel of the video.

The color black in this video, is signifying African American stereotypes throughout history. African Americans stereotypes have changed over time. Recently, new ones have formed regarding police violence in the US. In the video, (3:44) a little African American boy is wearing a black hoodie and facing a line of police with his hands in the air. The color black in this panel is extremely evident. The environment around the young boy is dark, and his clothing is the color black. The color black in this panel is signifying the current African American stereotype of violence against law enforcement officers. 

Another representation of the color black in Beyonce’s video is in the panel (4:16). This frame is also signifying an African American stereotype. This stereotype was representative of the past in times of slavery and segregation of American -American people in the US. Beyoncé is in an all-black outfit and the outfit looks representative to an older time period. Beyoncé’s outfit is black and is also very professional and clean looking. Beyonce is wearing a black hat that is covering her face as if her identity does not matter. The color black in this panel is signifying the past African American stereotype viewing African Americans as inferior and as workers to white people during this time.

 Beyonce is spreading awareness and reminding society of the humanistic qualities that were not viewed of African Americans in the past. The color black signifies this by its permanence. The people in this video are never wearing black proudly. They are not proud of their stereotypes. Beyoncé is reminding us how in the end we are still people and these stereotypes should not exist against one group of people.

Beyonce’s intention for the color white in her video was to signify the viewpoint of white people from a different perspective. The color white is unnoticeably paired by humans with the idea of purity and elegance. The United States flag includes white as a symbol of innocence and purity. Beyonce was trying to shine light on the fact that white people were viewed in a different way than black people. Economic status is raised in the video for people in the video wearing white. People also seem more proud and honored to wear the color white in the video compared to people in the video wearing black or any other colors. 

A representation of the color white in the video is in (0:32). This frame is also signifying the image of white people from an “outside looking in” perspective. Beyonce is wearing white in this frame and is lounging in a very luxurious and lavish looking all white parlor set in the Victorian era. Beyonce looks very confident and of high economic and social status during that time. The color white is evident in this entire panel, because the color white is viewed as untouched and unflawed. African American people were being ridiculed and seen as different during this time. Beyonce is illustrating white people in this video by how African American’s saw them during this time, untouched by injustice. Most of all, untouched by the color black.

Beyonce’s representation of the color red in this video was to signify hardship and injustice. The color red is a very powerful color. The color red usually symbolizes ideas that make like imperfect such as death, and sacrifice, and unfairness. The color red is unknowingly associated with the idea of tragedy when viewing images or a visual text. This vibrant and intense color plays a very dominant role in the video “Formation” and the message that Beyonce is directing to the audience.

A representation of the color red is in (4:26). In this frame, Beyonce is fully dressed in the color red. Beyonce is sitting on top of a police car that is slowly filling up with water and will eventually sink to the bottom. This is a situation that can eventually lead to loss and tragedy if nothing is going to stop the water from coming in. Beyonce is symbolizing the idea of how hardship has affected African Americans all throughout history. Beyonce is symbolizing how the world is not perfect through the color red. The color red affects the way that the audience views this frame in the video because the color red directly identifies with imperfect situations through the lives of African Americans throughout history.

A second representation of the color red is in (1:24). As this color covers the dancers from head to toe on the ground, the audience can infer that there has been a problem or tragedy in the lives of these people. The effect of the color red in this frame manipulates the power and intensity of the frame. Beyonce’s intention for this frame was to remind the audience how uncontrollable situations can occur in life. Red is covering the bodies of everyone in this frame.

The colors red, white, and black in the separate frames of the Beyonce Video “Formation” all serve different jobs to deliver the complete message to the audience at the end of the video. The colors throughout the video impact the way that the audience infers the images and applies them to viewpoints in everyday life and throughout history of African Americans. The power and permanence of stereotypes of African Americans is manipulated by color. Everything is manipulated by color if only we take a little bit more time to pay attention to the symbols around us.