Why do u think Disney hasnt made any Major cartoon films about Black/African People (like the princesses)?

Question

first of all i just gotta say i love mickey...
it just makes me sad they refuse to make a major film about a black/african girl or main character. all my friends dont think i should support them and for many years i tried to defend by saying they havent depicted many other races either but as time went on they have done films on asian, arab, native american girls, even polynesian girls. its pathetic really. now that the disney princesses line is so big you would think they would have included a black girl by now.

this may seem like adult politics but its important for kids to see people that look like them doing all kinds of things. now that im having a daughter it would be nice to see a black princess in with all the other girls.




~still disney fan for many years

(not a black supremacist or anything just think its curious...)

i totally forgot about latinas (and i am Latina my daughter will be mixed!!!) but i dont really expect to see that latina women for a while....we are at the bottom of the totem pole for everything....its just that black people are so deeply weaved into the economic and cultural background of this country....its crazy...

Answer 1

you already know the answer to this...It takes black people to make a good movie about us..

Answer 2

Well there was one movie that had an African -American in a primary role but it is no longer sold in the US because Disney believes the depiction of slavery is degrading or insulting to segments of the buying public in the US.

That movie was "Song Of The South". I remember seeing it way back in the '60's and I have it on an imported laserdisc. Watching the movie a couple of times, I really didn't see why Disney would want to keep it out of the US.

Slavery was a fact of history. It shouldn't be white-washed or buried out of sight. We should remember that a grave injustice was done to a group of people but we should not dwell upon it. And while injustice continues in this country, it does seem to be getting better.

As far as Disney's concerned, they seem to be very P.C. (politically correct). I, personally, didn't care for them "prettying-up" the Pirates Of The Caribbean ride in Disneyland. I hear they hid the guns, bosoms and rum.

Another thought is that there doesn't seem to be a lot of children's stories or fables and myths that are about minorities (of which I am considered to be a member of though Chinese people are/were like 1/4 of the world's population...) AND which are part of the common culture of America.

Two or three really, really successful animated features featuring minorities and you couldn't stop Disney from looking for scripts, stories, etc.. Which brings us back to the seeming lack of material. I don't know many legends, myths, etc., of my own cultural background let alone other peoples'. I might enjoy them if they were out in the theaters but there aren't many out there because of the all-important money thing. I need to watch Akeelah and the Bee, though.

Oh, did you notice that Disney movies seem to be mainly about female characters?

Answer 3

Sadly, that is exactly how the story would have played out and it would be racist. The princess wouldn't be pretty either - she'd have lips that took up most of her face and the prince would be goofy looking. I've heard that Disney will be coming out with a black princess soon though. A modern Disney princess story wouldn't be so racist.

Answer 4

in regards to one of the answers already here, there was a cartoon that was like a "black" snow white and the seven dwarves and yes, it was and still is preettttty bad (it's called coal black and the sebben dwarfs...from the 40's, same people who did bugs bunny), but disney did at one point make a movie with an african american star, it was called song of the south, also from the 40's....which disney did make with the thought of accuratly presenting the african american culture to those who were ignorant to it, but many people, incluing the NAACP, found it to be demeaning to african americans....while the offense was unintentional, they still decided not to show it anymore or distribute copies of it...it can still be found if you look hard enough, espescially on torrent sites. whether or not this is why there hasnt been many black characters in disney movies, i am not sure, but i thought might be interesting to you.....the disney company seems to be pretty genuinly pc, so hopefully they're not intentionally leaving black characters out of their cartoons...possibly just a coincidence..

Answer 5

I never noticed that, but you're right. I think they probably will soon, because there's plenty of other people out there curious about the same thing. But it's disappointing they haven't already done one by now. Because you're right. They have made one featuring Asians, Arabs, Native Americans, etc.

I also agree that it's important for kids to see people that look like them doing all kinds of things.

Answer 6

Don't worry, Disney is producing a new Princess movie in which the princess is African American.

The movie is called The Frog Princess

Answer 7

Back in the olden days, a lot of cartoons were pretty racist. If I remember right, Disney (it might have been some other company, so don't start pointing fingers at me if I got the industry name wrong.) had made an African American snow white, but it was horribly, HORRIBLY racist.

Answer 8

Song Of The South... one of the first times a black person was in the lead role of a film. Ground-breaking stuff.

Answer 9

wow...i never thought of that.but i think you're right. you can contact them if you want to but i must say,their later cartoon films havent been that great anyway.. (cinderella 2;landy and the tramp 2;etc..)

Answer 10

Because stereotyping was never a part of Disney agenda.