The Portrayal Of African Americans In Walt Disney's Song Of The South

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Recommended: Stereotypes and their negative impacts

Walt Disney’s ebullient film, Song of the South, is the preeminent illustration of the stereotypical portrayals of African Americans after the Civil War. The cheerful characters, the conspicuous lessons regarding familial care, and the heartwarming scenes that seemingly reassure the audience’s faith in humanity only serve to gloss over the deep racial segregation that persists as a paramount social problem. We must give credit to Disney for another “happily-ever-after” that is perpetually unrealistic, and even more so for the degraded African American population during this period of social injustice. The jubilant film commences with the scene of young Johnny (Bobby Driscoll), his mother, Miss Sally, (Ruth Warrick), his father, John, (Eric …show more content…

In the animated world, the voices of Baskett, Lee, and Stewart serve as representative portrayals of the jubilant, yet cunning, Br’er Rabbit, the sly Br’er Fox, and the enraged Br’er Bear. In the live action world, Baskett and McDaniel perfectly portray the jolly and submissive roles of ex-slaves living with their ex-slave masters after the war. Additionally, Patten does a lovely job of showing a sweet character in the midst of her on-screen brothers. With so many child actors in the film, the acting can be regarded as one of the brighter aspects of the film, although some scenes may have seemed unnatural and …show more content…

However, it is the very aspect of this “perfectness” that is problematic—it is a perfect portrayal of the stereotypical ignorance that undermines the African Americans’ struggles post-Civil War, glossing their struggles over with their apparent quiet acceptance and submissive attitude toward their inferior social positions. The actors perfectly personate their controversial characters, which illustrates the ignorance of the film. For instance, Baskett’s role of Uncle Remus presents a satisfied persona, submissive to the orders of Warrick’s role as Miss Sally. Although the latter should no longer possess any power over Uncle Remus, the immediate post-slavery period still seems to grant a white woman authority over a black man. Additionally, McDaniel plays the stereotypical role of a mammy, having to care for the needs of the whites without having a will of her

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