Was Elvis Presley and Shirley Temple Black Racist? Talk about it.?

Question

In the movie "Dreamgirls" they mention that Elvis stole songs like Hound Dog from black folks, that Willie Mae (Big Mama) Thornton wrote Hound Dog and sang it better and that anyway Elvis was a racist, noted for having said, The only thing Negro people can do for me is to buy my records and shine my shoes. Is this true or just a rumor? My mom told me this too when I was young.

Source: Parents, grandparents, uncles, aunties and etc. Rumor been around for years. No. I am not a racist for asking a question. Just because her last name of "Black" doesn't mean her husband is black. I thought both of her husbands were white. Did she get married for a third time?

Answer 1

I thin elvis presely was i dont know about shirley.

Answer 2

Elvis never said that and he even cleared it up back in the day. It was a rumor. He loved and respected Black people and even had a Black Pastor who's church services he attended regularly. Rap group Public Enemy is partially to blame for leading the later generation to believe Elvis was racist when he actually is not and never made that statement at all. Chuck even retracted what he'd said about Elvis in the song "Fight The Power."

I'm not sure about Shirley Temple but I personally don't believe she was racist. She was only a child when she did most of her movies. I heard that she adopted "right wing" views when she was older but I have no idea if that's even true. Sometimes racist groups will exaggerate things like this to "trigger" non-racist people so they will think less of their favorite celebrities. They often emulate Hitler so they spread propaganda to get on the nerves of the people they consider to be "Social Justice Warriors."

Answer 3

I'm 18 n a black light skin girl n i must say i am a huge fan of Elvis n he was sexy! The truth is i guess he was racist but i think he also had a heart for blacks too cuz he brought a black lady a car, he had black friends, and kissed the Sweet Inspirations. So he was n wasn't racist but tht doesn't stop me for loving The King! He had his opinions n we have ours

Answer 4

Not only was Elvis not racist, but that quote about shining shoes was fabricated. Anyone who knew Elvis knew that black musicians were his heroes. He was also good friends with Muhammad Ali, Sammy Davis, Jr. and had a black backing group.

Answer 5

Actually, Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller wrote
"Hound Dog";Big Mama recorded it 1952
for a blues album & was a hit for her...
Elvis recorded it in 1956,a full four yrs AFTER
it was a hit for Big Mama...I guess Bernie Lowe & Freddie Bell are guilty of stealing as well;Bernie had Freddie rewrite part of the lyrics for a broader appeal in '55... their version
is the one Elvis recorded...As far as the "shoe shine"comment,pure gossip that doesn't hold water...Shirley Temple? Are you kidding?
She was a child actor who could dance;Plain and simple nothing more...

P.S. Yes both of her husbands were white...

Answer 6

Of course elvis was but I am not sure about shirley temple. And she did not marry a black man, her last name was just black. And all these naive people above me who says elvis was not need to research a little deeper.

Answer 7

Elvis Presley was not, at least on the public front...don't know about Shirley Temple Black, but she would be of the time where it might be possible.

Answer 8

Well I know Elvis was. He made the comment that blacks can't do anything for him but shine his shoes. I don't know about Shirley Temple.

Answer 9

Elvis did not steal songs from black people. He was inspired to start singing by watching black gospel groups sing around his neighborhood. He was not a song theif. As for Shirley Temple, I don't know.

Answer 10

I believe Elvis was but never heard anything about Shirley Temple. Where did you get that info? Share it with us.

Answer 11

Uh, considering that Shirley Temple Black married a black man and is now an international ambassador, I would say NO...wouldn't you?