Racial Tension In The Film 'Hairspray'

Racial tension is and always has been an ongoing problem in American society. While Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation ended slavery, it failed to grant racial equality. The movie Hairspray shows what it was like to live in the 1960s, where this tension was at its peak. In this film, released in 1988 and directed by John Waters, segregation is a prominent factor that a young girl, named Tracy Turnblad, is determined to end. Time and time again books and films are being made that portray the events of the past that seems true, whether it happened in real life or not; Hairspray being one of them. Despite Hairspray's fictional additions to history, the movie as a whole still delineates an accurate representation of racial tension during the 1960s. Many events were portrayed in this movie; however, the major events that proved crucial to history were the segregation of public places, non-violent protests, police brutality, and the hope of integration being made a reality. As previously mentioned, a historical reference from Hairspray was the segregation of public places. This theme was portrayed accurately throughout multiple scenes of interactions

While the events in history did not happen on a dance show, the reactions about it was. In Hairspray, Tracy Turnblad clearly represents Martin Luther King Jr, with the way she constantly gave speeches and led African Americans and white moderators the right way. She was not afraid to voice her opinion, like King. She was dedicated and determined to desegregate and integrate, like King. Hasday mentions, "a young and energized King wanted to carry over the sources of the Alabama bus boycott to bring an end to racial discrimination and no inequality..."(44). Tracy Turnblad and King shared similar views towards wanting integration to happen, which is what makes this film very accurate to the historic events that occurred back in the early