Why doesn't Disney have a Black or African princess story?

Question

There are alot of white or European princesses along with Asian (Mulan), Native American (Pochontas), Middle Eastern (Jasmine) and even a Mermaid. What would be so hard to find a good African folklore or story about any of the number of Black Princesses from one of the African countries or 1,000 of tribes on the continent?

Answer 1

Ahh...have you ever heard of Alladen??

Answer 2

Because Disney is in the US, and like it or not, caucasians are still the majority. Plus, even though Mulan, Pocohontas (terrible movie) & Jasmine were all from foreign places, they all were animated to look sexually appealing to white people. If Disney did that to a black character, the black community would go crazy claiming that the character was just a watered-down black character.

The black community in the US has brought this on themselves. Rather than just be happy they are included in such events, they make a big deal about how the movie maker didn't do enough. In the answers to this question alone, someone has mentioned that Disney wouldn't do justice to the plight of the black man in regards to slavery and the injustices over the years. Guess what? That crap isn't what people want to hear when they go see a Disney movie, which is what made Pocohontas so awful.

There are a lot of talented black people in this country. Nothing is keeping them from writing a movie script that tells the tale of a black princess, and then turning it into a movie. Why does Disney have to do it for you? If Disney does it, and it is well received, Disney takes the profits. If a black movie producer makes the film and it is well received, it will be a black man benefitting from it. Which do you prefer?

Answer 3

1. The Jungle book was not in Africa- Africa has no bears, it is set in or around India.
2. Walt Disney can not BE a racist because he is dead.
3. (To Becky) Why wouldn't white people go to the movies to see a movie about a black princess? They went to see an Asian princess, a native American Princess, and a Middle Eastern Princess. And don't even try to convince me that Americans aren't more racist towards People of Middle Eastern Descent then African Americans. Take a look around, it isn't the 1800's and by assuming Caucasions wouldn't go see a Disney movie with an African American princess, it is YOU that are being racist.
4. They might make a movie about an African princess someday, they might not, right now animals and inanimate objects are a bigger hit then the typical princess story.
5. And in case no one else has noticed in recent years Disney has become much more politically correct. Mulan, Pocahantas, and Alladin were all relatively recent additions to Disney.
6. And finally, the majority of answers to this question are either more racist, ignorant, and/or judgemental then Walt Disney ever was, judging by your answers!

Answer 4

Disney is not known for their originality when it comes to their traditionally designed animated features. Even when they say that the story is an original, it really is a masked variation of a story - such as Lion King was proclaimed to be wholly original, but it was just a variation of Hamlet. While their creativity holds true for basic twists and additional characters to add some level of charm, the basis for their works comes from stories or tales that have transcended into the cultural mainstream, to the point of cultural/national identity. Mulan may have started as a provincial tale, but it soon escalated into a Chinese story regardless of the region it was initiated. The Aladdin stories also have a princess since he ultimately married her in the end of the tale. For a story to be considered, there must be a story or legend that moves beyond a tribal or local afficiation and becomes inherently African across the continent, such that everyone knows of the story no matter where you are. I am not too familiar with many African legends myself, but I have not come across any that have a strong positive female character, nevermind a princess. There is a very good chance that I am wrong about that though. Regardless, Disney seems to prefer their storylines to be based on a very general and popular topics of folklore or history. Once they get their hands on it after that, that is where the "magic" of Disney comes into play.
On a side note, and this may be as satisfactory as a nonchalant shrug, but Disney retold a classic tale in a live production of Cinderella with Brandy starring in the lead.

Answer 5

Having worked for Disney I have always wondered this myself. I know that Asians, Native Americans, Europeans, and Middle Eastern ethnicities have all been represented in "Priness Movies." Disney is in the business of making money, unfortunatly over quality especially these days when it comes to movies. They have ended their animation department and have concentrated on CGI-Animation. The last hand-drawn Disney "princess" movie that I know about is 2007/8's production of Rapunzel. I find it quite funny that a lot of people on here are calling The Lion King a movie that has black themes, but not black characters. The Lion King is roughly based on Hamlet (written by William Shakespeare for those who don't know the play) With the subsequent sequels TLK2 (Romeo and Juliet) and TLK1.5 (Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead by Tom Stoppard) The Broadway musical is perhaps as close as you're going to get, but that is because the wonderful director Julie Taymor has used a cast of black actors to tell the story as if it were a tribe recounting a tale through costume dance and music.

Jasmine is not Indian as mentioned by a previous answerer, she is Arab as is Aladdin. The rest are self explanitory (Mulan being Chinese and Pocahontas being Native American)

Disney will most likely never make a "Black Princess" movie especially now because it will seem like thay are just doing it to be PC rather than wanting to tell a story involving a character that happens to be Black. This is unfortunate because there are plenty of stories that have black princesses. You as the consumer must be more vocal if you really would like to see that sort of movie produced by Disney.

Answer 6

"Aladdin" was the first Disney cartoon to have a non-white heroine. There was a very positive response to that, so they branched out to other "princesses" like Mulan and Pocohontas, but many of the traditional African legends seem either simplistic or downright bizarre to Western viewers - too much so to make into a fairy tale movie. I suspect there would also be more political backlash than Disney wants to face, both from Africans and African-Americans who feel the movie wasn't "authentic enough" to true African history, and by people who are frustrated that Disney stories water down all the actual conflict, slavery, war, and other undesirable elements that by rights ought to be part of their characters' lives. Working with African or African-descended main characters is a risky business nowadays, because there are many people who feel strongly that African-descended characters are being portrayed as too much this or too little that, and the label "RACIST!" can pop up even if you have the best intentions.

Answer 7

the ones that disney created while he was alive were from the most popular fairy tales of the time, from mostly the brothers grimm or the arabian nights and he twisted the stories until very few really were anything like the original story
pochantas for instance was just a child when john smith came to america and after marrying john rolfe she died on the way back to america
the mermaid girl never got the prince, he instead married another girl whil the mermaid became an air spirit in hans christen anderson's original little mermaid
jasmine played almost no part at all in the real aladdin story and aladdin was more of a lazy jerk in the original story
it isn't hard to find folklore from africa, the problem is that most of those stories are rather short or concentrate more on animals or men rather than princesses
if you're really concerned then find a few good stories and send them to disney with a letter saying that you're concerned that they are showing racial tendencies
hope i helped at least a little

Answer 8

Look at the stories most Disney movies were based on, all fairy tales written by non-blacks/africans. Disney also doesn't want to offend the majority of the white population. Most whites and their children wouldn't pack the theatres for a black/african princess story, while blacks, hispanics and other minorities will go to the theatres to see Cinderella, Belle, the Little Mermaid. I will give Disney some credit for doing Pocohontas, but I won't hold my breath for the Queen of Sheba coming out anytime soon...

Answer 9

It's true that Disney could have created more tales revolving around other races by now, but I think they have started coming around to the wishes of the country with the introductions of Mulan, Jasmine, etc. Maybe part of the problem is the lack of knowledge regarding African princesses/heroines.

Answer 10

I think it sounds like a good idea! I feel another Disney hit coming on! That is if Disney would make another cartoon separate from Pixar. Pixar doesn't seem to be too into the Princess movies unless they are poking fun at them (shrek and shrek2)


For all of you saying Aladdin, you guys are very silly. Jasmine was middle eastern... which is sad if you guys confuse that with being African.

Some people are saying Lion king... I find that to be sad. The only Disney movie that has anything do with blacks or Africa and the characters are animals! Read between those lines. Sigh. This is really depressing.

Answer 11

Jasmine was middle eastern and Pocohantas was Native American. Not all princesses are caucasian in Disney films. True, the originals years ago may have been, but we have to remember the era...they were written back when it wasn't popular to include African Americans in films as princesses. Fortunately times have changed. Maybe Disney's next one will be AA.