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Disney and African American Discrimination

Disney Movie Princess and the Frog and African American Discrimination
Zulema Chavez
University of Texas at El Paso

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Disney and African American Discrimination

Abstract
African Americans since the beginning of time have been discriminated and have suffered
emotionally, physically, and mentally. Many people believe that racism doesnt exist at all
anymore or there is so much little of it now, but that is wrong. Not only have African Americans
have suffered from discrimination from people around them, but there are different ways to be
able to discriminate in a unidirectional way through media such as movies, for example the
Disney movie The Princes and the Frog. This movie created a lot of controversy when it came
out, like many of the other movies Disney has created for example, Aladdin, Mulan, The Jungle
Book; many people believed that this movie was racist and not innocent. Parents let their
children watch these kinds of movies believing that their innocent, but in contrast there are all
feeding negative outcomes.

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Disney and African American Discrimination
Disney Movie Princess and the Frog and African American Discrimination
Introduction
Disney movies have been part of a lot childrens childhood for such a long time. Many grew up
watching these movies and believing that they were completely innocent, and they actually do
look like that when we are watching them and most people dont ever notice that these movies
have discrimination, offensive, and negative messages not only to African Americans but to
women, Asians, Native Americans, etc. Children and parents, who actually do notice these
messages, are able to detect that these messages affect their loved ones in different negative
ways, for example emotionally, mentally, and also in their social lives. In the following
paragraphs these questions will be answered: What kinds of discrimination are there? What is
racism? How is it different since the beginning and now? What kinds of consequences come
when other communities discriminate against you?
What kinds of discrimination are there?
According to Victorian Equal Opportunity & Human Rights Commission there are different
types of discrimination such as, age, sex, national origin, race/color, etc. All of these types of
discrimination are important, and people should be informed about them, but the one I will focus
on is being discriminated by a persons race. Some and maybe all of these types of
discrimination exists in Disney movies, race is one of the ones that create more controversy.
Many people argued about the fact that Disney took a long time to be able to produce a movie
where the princess was an African American girl, and even though the princess and her dress fit
with the other princess why did she spend most of her time as a frog instead of herself. In
addition, in the article, Princess and the Frog: Another Racist Disney Movie, it states,
Disney really did not want to have a lead black Princess otherwise they would have allowed

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Disney and African American Discrimination
her to be a Princess throughout the movie. (Princess and the Frog 2012) Also, in the article
The Princess and the Frog: An analysis of various elements of the film is states, that why
wasnt the prince black like the princess, many ask themselves that even though the President of
the United States is a black man, are black men not capable to have the title of prince?
What is racism? How is it different since the beginning and now?
According to the article, What is Racism? it states that, Racism is treating someone
differently or unfairly simply because they belong to a different ethnic community. Racism and
discrimination are different now than before, in a way that today there is more technology and
media that bring racism to your own home, and sometimes without even realizing it. Like I
mentioned before, some of us that grew up loving Disney movies didnt realize some of the
messages. In the chart previewed below people were interviewed and states, that three out of four
people and others around them dont ever realize that there is any type discrimination against
African Americans in Disney movies.

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Disney and African American Discrimination
What kinds of consequences come when other communities discriminate against you?
Some of the consequences that come when others discriminate about your own race, beliefs,
culture, etc., it makes you feel oppressed or less than the person who is discriminating and others
as well. In addition to the topic, children are prone more to Disney movies and we might think
they just like the movies because of the characters, animation or the story and that they dont
really understand the messages, but Michael D. Baran, a cognitive psychologists and
anthropologist states, People think that kids dont catch subtle messages about race and gender
in movies, but its quite the opposite, he said. (Barnes, 2009)
Conclusion
In, conclusion, Disney movies have always been part of childs childhood thinking that they are
the best and safe movies to watch, when not knowing the truth behind them. Discrimination hurts
everyone, it doesnt matter your gender, age, race, etc. In addition all of us should be aware of
what we watch now that we are more exposed to discrimination through movies that are
supposed to be for children.

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Disney and African American Discrimination

References
Barnes, B. (2009, May 29). Her Prince Has Come. Critics, Too. Retrieved from:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/31/fashion/31disney.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
Storify.com. (2012). Princess and the Frog: Another Racist Disney Movie. Retrieved from:
https://storify.com/must64ahk/princess-and-the-frog-still-racist
Surveymonkey.com. (2014). Disney and African American Discrimination. Retrieved from:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/analyze/x6Jlj_2FQKTXGJkHCKbXWISbNONkIEvYD
5edSrPsbode4_3D
Victorian Equal Opportunity & Human Rights Commission. (2014, October 11). Types of
Discrimination. Retrieved from:
http://www.humanrightscommission.vic.gov.au/index.php/types-of-discrimination
Wordpress.com. (2011, December 13). The Princess and the Frog: An analysis of various
elements of the film. Retrieved from: http://disneysprincessandthefrog.wordpress.com/
Youngscot.org. (2014, May 29). What is Racism? Retrieved from:
http://www.youngscot.org/info/211-what-is-racism