The classic Disney film Song of the South (1946) serves as a representation of southern plantation films, but these movies are extremely problematic in their depictions of African Americans. Disney’s portrayal of this plantation film hearkens back to the public’s view of the “good old South.” This film attempts to instill a nostalgic atmosphere that many felt for the days of slavery. These emotions ring back to the discomfort that the white population felt post-Emancipation of slavery when African knew their station in society as subservient beings. The ambiguous setting in relation to time, whether or not the film is placed before or after the Civil War, reinforces this call for nostalgia that Disney attempted to feed the audience. Furthermore, Song of the South also stays true to Hollywood’s perspective of the South through the stereotypical characters of Uncle Tom, mammy, and coon that are attributed to the black cast. The black characters are supposedly happy and appreciative in their social stats as second-class to the white elite. The “post-racial” relationship between the characters Uncle Remus and Johnny is meant to transcend beyond racial boundaries, but this relationship reinforces the Uncle Tom stereotype.
During the release of the film, it was vastly protested by the African American community and is currently unavailable to the public. My professor, Keith Corson, posed a thought-provoking question about this film: should this film still be available to the public? Personally, I believe that Song of the South should be available as a teaching tool to contextualize the history of racial tension. This Disney film is necessary to understand the evolution of portraying African Americans in film. Films such as Song of the South, The Birth of a Nation, and Gone with the Wind should indeed be distributed for social commentary.
This post really intrigued me due to the fact that I go to Disney World once every so years and am a big fan of the ride Splash mountain. What is really telling is the ride is actually inspired by the racist film Song of the south. In fact, the theme of the ride typically plays the song Zip-a-dee-doo-dah throughout the entire ride. I think this honestly speaks to just the carelessness of the park and a bit of the racist undertones synonymous with Disney tradition. Although I admit the ride is a lot of fun, this post just really clicked into my head how racist the ride actually is. Despite this, Disney would never change the ride due to its immense popularity and the monetary value it provides. Regardless of insensitivity, institutions care more about money than about offending the character and values of African Americans.
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