I've always loved Toontown in the "Roger Rabbit" cartoons. Toontown was the special area of Tinseltown where cartoon characters were segregated because they were -- Toons. I've always thought this a brilliant metaphor for racial inequities in the real world.
Being a cartoonist and a person of color has given me a unique perspective. I've always enjoyed mocking human behavior in my gags. Adding racial and ethnic prejudice to this potent mix really helps stir things up. Yet, humor has always served an important function when it comes to revealing truth. It's something I often use as a tool. Although I confess I've sometimes used it as a weapon.
Recently, a fellow at the Walt Disney studio asked me if comedian Michael Richard's tirade at a local comedy club, had offended me. Actually, I told him that I felt bad for Michael Richards because his unfortunate rant said more about him than it did the hecklers in his audience. After all is said and done, I consider this incident small potatoes compared to the stuff that I've experienced over the years.
Executives who make movies in Africa without Africans are asking for it. I'll cut you no slack. Nope, not even Disney
Most people live in their own little world, and it's difficult to relate to those who might not share their experience. Back in the 1950s, I was continually asked why I made the long drive from Los Angeles to the Walt Disney Studio every day. Why didn't I just find an apartment in Burbank or nearby Glendale? It never occurred to my friends & colleagues at Disney that it was nearly impossible for a person of color to rent an apartment in Burbank. Today, people find this incredulous. However, keep in mind this was the 1950s, years before the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s.
On another occasion, I was walking to the Walt Disney Studio on a quiet Burbank street when a group of school children began to yell and shout at me. They were just little kids, and I doubt they had full understanding of their offensive behavior. I didn't think that much about the childish outburst. Kids are often guilty of bratty behavior because they're just -- kids. However, this unfortunate incident spoke volumes about their parents.
Like many Disney artists, I put down my drawing pencil to do my duty & serve my country in the armed forces. This may seem like ancient history, but the incident we were dealing with back then was the so-called "Korean Conflict." I had just returned to the States after a fourteen-month tour of duty in Korea. My return home was made even better by a letter I received from the Disney Studio telling me my old job for was waiting for me upon my return to Burbank.
My flight made a stop in Atlanta, GA, where we were invited to deplane before continuing on to Los Angeles. And it was in this city that I discovered something most remarkable. I saw a segregated society for the first time in my life. There were signs everywhere designating where one could sit, drink, or use the restroom. Of course, the separation was made on based on race.
What's even more amazing is I had just returned from a foreign country where I could pretty much go anywhere I chose. Yet here I was in my own country being restricted to certain areas because of my color. Adding insult to injury, I was wearing the uniform of the United States military. It appears that the freedoms I was fighting for only applied to some people -- and not others.
Some years later, I was back working at the Walt Disney Studio when Los Angeles came under siege in the 1965 Watts Riots. Since the local news teams were terrified of going into an urban battle zone, my partners & I grabbed our film cameras and headed into Los Angeles. And if you can believe this -- one of the cameras used to photograph Los Angeles going up in flames was purchased from none other than Roy Edward Disney. Roy had used this camera to shoot the Disney nature films so popular at the time. I think even Roy Disney would be amazed to know that his movie camera was photographing another type of "True Life Adventures"
Sometimes these stories are downright funny. After leaving the Walt Disney Studio some years ago, former screenwriter Charles Shows published a memoir of his time at the Mouse House entitled Walt." Because of the lack of African American artists in the animation department, Mr. Shows referred to me as "The lone Negro." I found this amusing because either I was the only black artist at Disney. Or perhaps I was some kind of cowboy hero who fought for truth & justice.
Thanks to author Charles Shows, I "rode the range" at Disney as "The Lone Negro." African-American animators were pretty rare in the sixties
Today, much is made over political correctness when it comes to racial matters. Overly sensitive people see racial or ethnic slights in every image. And in their zeal to sanitize and pasteurize everything, they've taken all the fun out of cartoon making. I've had the pleasure of speaking with the late Bob Clampett about his 1943 cartoon, "Coal Black and the Sebben Dwarfs." I've chatted with Ward Kimball about animating the crows in Walt Disney's "Dumbo." And lest we forget, many African Americans still love Disney's "Song of the South." Although some might call these comical images racially insensitive, I merely see them as funny.
Much like my 1950s Disney days, the world is changing once again. Hopefully, we'll be a little smarter this time around. And we'll make correct decisions because we won't be blinded by fear & prejudice.
We live in incredible times. A time I could not even have imagined while sitting at my Disney desk back in 1956. A black man might be elected President of the United States. And the Walt Disney Studio might surprise us with a black princess.
These are crazy ideas to be sure. But hey, it could happen.
Did you enjoy today's essay? Well, that's just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the many tales that Floyd Norman has to tell. Many of which you'll find in the three books Floyd currently has the market. Each of which take an affectionate look back at Norman's career in animation. These include Floyd's original collection of cartoons and stories -- "Faster! Cheaper! The Flip Side of the Art of Animation" (which is available for sale over at John Cawley's cataroo.com) as well as two follow-ups to that book, "Son of Faster, Cheaper" & "How the Grinch Stole Disney." Which you can purchase by heading over to Afrokids.com.
Did you enjoy today's essay? Well, that's just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the many tales that Floyd Norman has to tell. Many of which you'll find in the three books Floyd currently has the market. Each of which take an affectionate look back at Norman's career in animation.
These include Floyd's original collection of cartoons and stories -- "Faster! Cheaper! The Flip Side of the Art of Animation" (which is available for sale over at John Cawley's cataroo.com) as well as two follow-ups to that book, "Son of Faster, Cheaper" & "How the Grinch Stole Disney." Which you can purchase by heading over to Afrokids.com.
Interesting article. I'm sure there will be an African-American princess in the future! ;)
Wonderful article, and really heartfelt (since I'm also, like they say, "a person of color".) That Tarzan image is sooo funny, hahaha!
"Executives who make movies in Africa without Africans are asking for it.
I'll cut you no slack. Nope, not even Disney."
You racist. Tarzan is about a European family shipwrecked in Africa, cut off from all civilization, all people. That includes African people. Back to the Future III was set in California in 1885, yet I didn't see any hispanic people. Or native Americans. Or chinese railroad workers. Was that movie racist, too? Or just you?
Great story, Floyd. Thanks for the insight. I feel very fortunate to be able to read your columns and enjoy your amazing knowledge of the history of animation.
It's a shame that "Song of the South" hasn't been released to DVD. I saw the film as a kid, and I thought Uncle Remus was cool. He was a hero. I don't remember anything in the film that seemed insulting to blacks, aside from its historical setting which was, after all, reflective of the way things were in the American South during that time period. But I'm white, and maybe I'm missing something here. As for the crows in "Dumbo", IMO they're one of the best parts of the film. Wouldn't it be a shame if that film were banned because of their inclusion? My god, they're good guys! Their song "If I Saw An Elephant Fly" is delightful. And meanwhile there are all sorts of insensitive junk on Adult Swim and Family Guy, played for laughs. Ah well. It's a weird world we live in...
@ AntiBias
you are mistaken, there certainly were native Americans in Back to the future III.
@ all
I too have seen Song of the South and I just could *not* find anything racist in that movie. But I understand discrimination is still a hotter issue in America versus Europe, where I live. I suspect when this is the case, people might be more sensitive to this subject-matter?
@AntiBias: You're calling him a racist?! Weird.. Did you read the whole article?
@wberkhout: hay, wat leuk om eens een Nederlander tegen te komen :) (translation for all the non-Dutch people: hay, how nice to finally bump into a Dutchman)
A lovely article.
you should check out the introductions to the Disney Treasures sets by hypocrite Leonard Maltin, brrr they make my skin crawl... the fear of being racist is amazing.
Maltin almost apologizes for gags such as Donald Duck looking like an indian chieftain after crashing through some reeds... because of course it's so RACIST!
Then again, is it a surprise, in a nation where one can successfully sue someone for farting.
It might be beneficial for those shouting "racist" to do, at least, a smidgen of research before shouting the phrase. The original Tarzan novels did indeed have Africans in them, although, due the attitude of the times, it portrayed them in a less then favorable light. Of course, this was also true of gender attitudes in the novels as well, and Burroughs later became far more liberal in his writings in later years.
But that is not the heart of the statement. The heart was that Disney has ignored this particular ethnicity for some years know. I don't know if it was by design, perhaps out of the fear over what people may find offensive in the caricatures of the designs. Or maybe it was simply the writers only writing what they know. What I do know is that whatever the motivations behind it, altruistic or not, the absence of black characters is clearly felt and perhaps leaves a blemish on Disney's reputation that isn't really necessary. Something easily fixed with an animated film that takes any one of history's black cultures and portrays them with the same dignity and seriousness that they've addressed other cultures with.
I have to agree with Floyd on another point as well. The oversensitivity of this nation has taken all the fun out of cartooning/writing. There are very few venues nowadays that really let a writer or artist express themselves without the benefit of an observer shouting "racism" or "bias" over something that intended or implied neither. The only fear I have with any future "black princesses" from Disney animation is that they will overthink the character to death and water down what could potentially be one of the greatest stories to date.
AntiBias,
I don't think Floyd's comments about Disney's Tarzan are racist. I think he is just telling Disney, they can do better.
Think about it for a moment. "Tarzan" - Disney's first (human) story set in Africa, yet there are no Africans!
Granted, in the original Burroughs story, the African natives are portrayed quite primitive savages. The book has many themes of the white European's superiority over all the beings of Africa. In defense of Disney's story deptartment, they neatly edited this sentiment. But neither did they replace it with anything else.
The book also portrays gorillas as savage, bloodthirsty beasts. Because of what we know know (thanks to the likes of Dian Fossey) the personalities, relationships and even diets of the apes were altered to a more factual basis. Yet, nobody said, "Let's figure out a way to present an African tribe in a more accurate light." And what's more, nobody has said, "Let's revisit Africa and do a princess story set there! There are dozens of tales and legends we can use!"
Mr. Norman isn't pointing fingers, he's just not letting them rest on their laurels.
At least, thats the way I see it.
Thanks for the great article, Floyd! This is a great way to get everybody talking about this issue!
Mr. Norman - Thank you for another entertaining and enlightening story. The world needs more people like you.
As far as Tarzan goes - I don't remember, but I don't think we ever saw native africans in the movie, did we? We had the animals, Tarzan, and the British. They never crossed paths with any natives. Had we seen white 'natives' then I could see a BIG problem. But the whole point is that Tarzan was raised by gorillas because he was nowhere near humans (after his families camp was attacked). I think if they'd been near others, the gorillas would have not raised him. So not seeing anybody else (native africans) is part of the reason that there is a story in the first place. Plus, it's not like every square inch of africa is inhabited. Had they gone to L.A. and not seen anybody, let alone minorities, then it would be a different story.
AntiBias - Get over yourself.
Hi Floyd. Thanks for sunch a wonderful article. I can't picture a segregated
society. It's just so foreign to us today. I would like to share something you
may find interesting. I personally happen to be white. My first job out of
high school was at a movie theatre in east Oakland, CA.
I was the projectionist. My boss was happened to be a black woman whom
I still adore to this day. Doggone it, she would tell patrons things
(only when they were mis behaving) and they always complained too me about
her. You should have seen the look in their eyes when I told them that not
only was she the manager but she is in fact MY boss.
That always unexpectedly forced some patrons to face their own
prejudices. Though I laugh about it now, it was very uncomfortable at the
time.
Anyway, I do look forward to the possibility of a African Princess.
There must be many wonderful stories in Afirca just waiting to be told.
We know that there are many ruins of lost civilazations there.
It's about time for those stories to be told.
PS Floyd< I want to personally thank you for all the laughter that
you have brought to people through you work at Disney and elswhere.
May God bless you in all of your endeavors.
wec
AntiBias, you should count to 100 or something before you post some stupid crap like you have here.
gigglesock said:
"It's a shame that "Song of the South" hasn't been released to DVD. I saw the film as a kid, and I thought Uncle Remus was cool. He was a hero. I don't remember anything in the film that seemed insulting to blacks, aside from its historical setting which was, after all, reflective of the way things were in the American South during that time period."
While I do agree with you totally about SotS, gigglesock, where most people take issue with the film is the fact that the portrayal of African Americans is not, by and large, reflective of the way things were in the American South.
They're sort of portrayed as being happy-go-lucky, subservient, and kind of bland. It's a very sanitized and largely inaccurate picture of the way most African Americans felt in the era immediately post-Emancipation.
That being said, I don't know why anyone would find that offensive. Silly? Maybe ... Outdated? Definitely. Offensive? Seems like a stretch ... I mean while the attitudes shown in the film may not be themselves historically accurate, the picture IS historically accurate in terms of perceptions of race issues during the time period in which it was CREATED.
All this talk about SONG OF THE SOUTH has got me thinking. If a 'negative stereotype' (regardless of actual intent or without thought to the period in which is was created - thanks wdwacky) I think we should start a list of Disney movies to boycott because of the negative sterotypes towards other groups.
Examples:
All Cinderalla movies portray step sisters as evil white women.
PETA should protest the negative images attributed to Octipuss' and Eels in Little Mermaid. (and maybe british lions too - Lion King)
Foster parents are portrayed merely as evil treasure hunters in The Rescuers.
Sailors are bad in Peter Pan.
The list can go on and on. Why? Because every movie needs a villian. Except wait, African Americans weren't the villians in Song of The South. They just weren't portrayed as Nobel Peace Prize winning scientists and humanitarians.
If we were complaining about a movie like The Birth of a Nation, that would be one thing.
Just release it already!!! Song of the South is a good movie!!!!!!!