Disney's Controversy Regarding Racism

During class on Monday, we were discussing the stereotypes associated with Native Americans, and the topic got brought up about how Disney stereotypes their movies. Looking back on when I was a child, I didn't understand the stereotypes that are presented today. They weren't viewable to a childrens' eye, so it did not create controversy within my household. However, now looking back on some of the movies that were made in earlier Disney times, stereotypes are present. Occidental College in California created a video that shows how Disney incorporates different races throughout its movies using the same stereotyped themes.

Crows in Dumbo dancing to jazz

The most controversial stereotype presented throughout the clip is the African Americans that are presented. In the movie Dumbo the Crows are black and are depicted by using slang in an African Americans voice. Some have even hinted towards this being represented for the Jim Crow laws. The movie was even made in 1941, during the black civil rights movement. The crows were depicted as poor and uneducated, along with constant singing and dancing to jazz music, and African American creation. Years later in 1967, The Jungle Book, featured the King Louie, the monkey, as the only gibberish speaking animal in the entire movie. He also emphasized how he wanted to become a "real person" throughout his scene in the movie. The final African American stereotype I will bring through this blog post is Sunflower, the centaur from Fantasia. She is a black centaur that polishes and grooms other centars. Depicting a slave symbol.

Indian figures in Peter Pan

Also, relating back to our discussion on Monday, Native Americans have not been portrayed in a positive light throughout Disney movies. The "Red Man" is the song sung during the Indian encounter during Peter Pan. According to cracked.com, the song says that a long time ago, a Native American blushed red when he kissed a girl and since then, science dictates that that is how Native Americans race has been genetically made up. In class we were discussing how Tonto, the side-kick character to the Lone Ranger and how his name is controversial since the word tonto in Spanish translated to stupid in English.

In my opinion, it is hard to think that something like this occurred behind Disney's publics backs, but I can also see it being an extreme contribution to the times that the earlier movies were created. The 1940's-1970's held a lot of racial tension through most minority races. Many people held hostility towards one another because of these racial tensions, and lines could have been crossed. I'm not sure anyone will ever really know if these similarities are indeed stereotypes and racist. However, I do believe that movies today are not going to be explicit with their racial stereotypes. I personally don't believe the new release of the Lone Ranger is going to create controversy with the Native American people. The article we read in class said themselves that the Native Americans were appreciative of the movie because it create publicity for their community and culture. Something everyone is striving for in this economy.

Read more:

http://www.cracked.com/article_15677_the-9-most-racist-disney-characters.html#ixzz2BgI2vHX8

Watch Occidental College's Video:

http://soctheory.iheartsociology.com/2011/11/01/racist-stereotyping-in-disney-movies/