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Credit: Disney / Inside the MagicThe contentious issue of “blackface” is representative of a systemic schism within the audience. Either it’s the erasure of history or the continued use of racist and offensive material. It’s come to the forefront of public attention after recent firings and international blackface issues.
American Animation: Walt Disney Blackface
The most recent news comes as major American animation houses are firing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) professionals. It’s a move that many activists have called “corporate blackface.” This comes shortly before the international offensive incident where a show aired a contestant using blackface on a beloved Disney actor.
After the release of the critical piece in a prominent Los Angeles news outlet, it showed that DEI executives in Hollywood are struggling after speaking out against racial stereotypes. It’s led to multiple questions from cast members and the media regarding the validity of inclusion claims by entertainment studios.
Latest News on Blackface Character and Racist Stereotypes
Recently, a Polish singing contest came under fire as two different contestants used the blackface racist caricature to perform as Kendrick Lamar and Beyoncé.
Though indirectly, this incident caused widespread criticism from Mickey Mouse in early animation to the Disney blackface in more recent times. As it approaches the finale of Disney100, the “woke” concept gains traction.
The awareness impacts powerhouses like Walt Disney, Warner Bros., and Paramount.
Disney Blackface Historical Cartoons and Modern Dissent
Though the “war on woke” between Disney CEO Bob Iger and Gov Ron DeSantis began in Florida, it’s started something larger: assessing cartoon characters for racism and preventing it.
Despite fighting backlash on the progressive Snow White, Walt Disney still has a long way to go on its redemption arc. The Disney blackface examples are extensive. These animation scenes are symptomatic of a historical time when stereotypes ran powerfully.
Equally so, calling out racism is emblematic of our time. From Donald Duck to Mary Poppins, African Americans to Native Americans, understanding is the seed of progression.
Heavily Criticized Disney Blackface Movies
The term “blackface” is an American stereotype that the National Museum of African American History is “exaggerated costumes and make-up” that cause racial derision and stereotyping. In this way, it became a term for racial characterization.
Walt Disney, a production company for nearly a century, has had its share of Disney movies and Disney World mishaps on this front. Some examples include:
- Splash Mountain and its racial characterization and stereotyping. Walt Disney is actively working to correct this at its Disney World location.
- Peter Pan came under fire for their depiction of the Native American tribe and the song “What Made the Red Man Red.” It now premieres with an “outdated cultural depiction” warning, but Disney+ maintains it in its original form.
- The chatty bird, Jim Crow in Dumbo, was a white actor who performed the “vocal equivalent of blackface.” This is on top of the racial characterization of the Crow characters in the film.
- Other problematic movies include Song of the South, with the iconic song “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah” failing to compensate for the film’s extensive racial stereotypes. The Aristocats introduced a Siamese cat that spoke in Asian stereotypical voices.
- On Disney+, viewers can see and hear the “Siamese Cat Song” with the “outdated” warning. Its live-action counterpart cut the song.
- Pocahontas, Fantasia, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Beauty and the Beast, and Mary Poppins have all proven to include problematic components.
The Walt Disney Company acknowledges many of these problems, proven through the cultural warning label. However, it maintains the integrity of the material, allowing the racial stereotypes to continue reaching an audience.
Do you think Disney+ should cut the scenes or stay with the warning message? Share your comments down below!