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The 9 Most Racist Disney Characters

By Ben Joseph January 21, 2008 812,367 views
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These old Disney movies are a little bit like your aging Uncle Frank. Honestly, he means well when he points out that Will Smith is "well-spoken." It's just that he, like the assemblage of clips below, dates from a time when people were unfairly characterized by their ethnic background (the acceptable methods are, of course, religion, geography, sexual preference and income).

#9.
The Merchant from Aladdin

The opening musical sequence from the hugely popular 1992 animated film had to be edited due to protest from Arab-American groups for saying about the Middle East what most of us were merely thinking.

Lesson Learned:
The Middle East is a barren wasteland where the justice system runs on a clear and simple limb-removal policy.

Best (Worst?) Moment:
"Where they cut off your ear if they don't like your face" is the offending line, which was changed on the DVD to the much less provocative "Where it's flat and immense and the heat is intense." Whatever. Our question: In a city full of Arabic men and women, where the hell does a midwestern-accented, white piece of cornbread like Aladdin come from? Here he is next to the more, um, ethnic looking villain, Jafar.

#8.
Sebastian from The Little Mermaid

In this 1989 film, a Jamaican-sounding crab teaches Ariel that life is better "Under the Sea," because underwater you don't have to get a job.

Lesson Learned:

Up on the shore they work all day
Out in the sun they slave away
While we devotin'
Full time to floatin'
Under the sea!

Are we reading too much into it? Do you see anything wrong with how they've drawn "the duke of soul" at 1:57?

Still too subtle? How about at 2:01 when the "blackfish" appears?

Best (Worst?) Moment:
As far as Disney movies go, you've got two choices: unforgivably offensive and just slightly racially insensitive. Sebastian definitely falls into the latter category. So while making Sebastian a charming, party-loving stereotype is a baby step forward for Disney, it's still a stumble backwards for civil rights.

#7.
The Crows from Dumbo

In this 1941 classic, Dumbo the flying elephant runs into a band of jive-talking black crows who sing, "I'd be done see'n about everything/when I see an elephant fly!"

Lesson Learned:
Come on, blackbirds acting in a manner stereotypically assigned to African-Americans isn't that offensive. At least they didn't just get some white guy to do his best "black voice." Oh, really? They did? And, they called the lead character "Jim Crow?" Um, hey, look over there! It's a convincing, logical end to this argument!

Best (Worst?) Moment:
So many too choose from. The crows are very specifically depicted as poor and uneducated. They're constantly smoking; they wear pimptastic hats; and they're experts on all things "fly," so it's really a team effort contributing to the general minstrel-show feel to the whole number. You could pretty much pause this video at any second and use it as evidence in your hate-crime lawsuit against Disney.

For its time, though, the portrayal of the crows was almost progressive. The crows band together and help Dumbo learn to fly, so they're counted among the heroes of the film. Remember, this was just a couple of years after somebody introduced a bill to outlaw lynching and congress voted it down. So, you know, you take what you can get.

#6.
King Louie from The Jungle Book

Having outgrown the crude portrayal of African-Americans as black crows, in 1967 Disney decides to portray them as monkeys instead.

Lesson Learned:
All animals in the jungle speak in proper British accents. Except, of course, for the jive-talking, gibberish-spouting monkeys. Did we mention they desperately want to become "real people?"

Best (Worst?) Moment:
Fine, so an ape singing, "I wanna be like you" might be a little subtle, in a "we own multiple copies of Catcher in the Rye" conspiracy theory kind of way. Still, considering the author of the The Jungle Book also thought up "the white man's burden", we don't think it's too much of a stretch.

#5.
The Siamese Twin Gang from Chip n' Dale Rescue Rangers

Overt racism against African-Americans was obviously intolerable by the time this Chip n' Dale series began in 1989. Overt racism against Asians, luckily, was still on the table.

Lesson Learned:
Even as criminals, Asian-Americans immigrants, represented here by a gang of cats, have become integral parts of American culture. Kidding! They own a laundromat, run an illegal, basement gambling operation and speak in horribly mangled "Engrish." It's like a designer of World War II propaganda posters accidentally quantum leaped into the body of a late '80s cartoon writer.

The video becomes cringe-worthy about six minutes in:

Best (Worst?) Moment:
The Siamese Cats sell their karate expert Juice Lee, a Japanese fighting fish, for a suitcase full of dead fish. If you can't find something offensive in that sentence, congratulations. You're a cyborg.

#4.
Sunflower the Centaur from Fantasia

Of all the items on this list, this is the one Disney has tried the hardest to make us forget.

Lesson Learned:
Even in Fantasia's beautiful, magical landscape, African centaurs are hoof-polishing handmaidens for prettier, Aryan centaurs. Also, 1940 was a great year to be a centaur fetishist and/or Don Imus.

Best (Worst?) Moment:
It was insulting enough for Disney to include the smiling servant stereotype to begin with, but, to make matters worse, they started categorically denying Sunflower's existence with the Fantasia re-release in 1960. How does that possibly make things better? "No, you misunderstand. In our perfect, Fantasia world, Africans aren't servants. They don't fucking exist."

#3.
The Indians from Peter Pan

In this charming musical number, the "Red Man" explains his people's history and culture.

Lesson Learned:
Why do Native Americans ask you "how?" According to the song, it's because the Native American always thirsts for knowledge. OK, that's not so bad, we guess. What gives the Native Americans their distinctive coloring? The song says a long time ago, a Native American blushed red when he kissed a girl, and, as science dictates, it's been part of their race's genetic make up since. You see, there had to be some kind of event to change their skin from the normal, human color of "white."

Best (Worst?) Moment:
It's a tie between Tiger Lilly's traditional Native American hussy dance, and the number of times Native American's misogynistic tendencies are played for laughs (hint: It's more than three!)

#2.
Uncle Remus from Song of the South

The tales of Br'er Rabbit are relayed by kindly old Uncle Remus, a black man happily working on a plantation in the post-Civil War South. Disney has never released this one on home video, for some reason.

Lesson Learned:
The late 1800s were a great time to be African-American and possibly on acid.

Best (Worst?) Moment:
Less eerie than any imaginary singing birds is what's not in the film. It's as if someone made a children's musical about Jews in post-World War II Germany that had a number titled "Hey! Nothing Bad Has Happened to Us, Ever." Also failing to reach the screen: When the movie had its world premiere in 1946 in Atlanta, James Baskett, the actor who played Remus, was not allowed to attend. Zip-a-dee-doo-dah!

#1.
Thursday from Mickey Mouse and the Boy Thursday (Book)

In this forgotten Mickey Mouse book from 1948, Mickey gets a crate full of West African bananas, and finds an African inside instead! Ha!" The savage soon is confused by Mickey's human lifestyle and commits acts of random violence.

Lesson Learned:
"What's the deal with Africans? If they're not trying to eat it or throw a spear at it, they're worshiping it as a some sort of tribal deity, am I right?"

Best (Worst?) Moment:
Where to begin? The book compiles almost every offensive preconception of Africa lurking in the American subconscious.

Some choice quotes:

"Well, well." Mickey laughed ... "So I'm supposed to be your governess and nursemaid, and you can't even talk!"

"Let me see. A genuine African native," Mickey murmured. "Perhaps I should start showing him off."

Perhaps the most depressing part is that this was somebody's idea of tolerance, back in the ideallic '40s:

"Poor little guy! He just makes mistakes. He doesn't know any better. I'll just have to be patient and teach him the right way to do things," said Mickey.

If you liked this article, you may also enjoy Ben Joseph's 10 Most Ridiculous Overseas Rip-Offs of American Films. Or, check out Mike Swaim's rundown of some very naked propaganda.



What about the racist siamese cat from Aristocats? I would think that would rate pretty high up on the list. He basically acts like an idiot and characterizes every possible stereotype

11/6/2009 8:33:01 PM
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11/3/2009 7:52:20 PM
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The saddest of this entire list is The Song of the South. It is a casualty of political correctness. The Uncle Remus tales are an "African" version of Aesop's Fables. These are relics of the different tribes that were pushed together by slavery. This is how people, who were so oppressed as to be property, were able to transfer their values and culture to their offspring. We have preserved their food (creole and soul food), their music, and yet because the story teller is an example of something we are rightfully ashamed, we don't allow this to enrich our culture. We need to remember all our history. The value of looking at history is remembering the the successes and failures because there is value in both. This is an example of how attempting to hide the ugly, we have lost some beauty.

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This is not racist and I don't see race...or COLORED people. Whatever! I am NOT speaking for an ignorant perspective either...Honestly I don't know what color I am. People tell me I'm white and I never get specious stares when I walk into a convenient store at night so I guess I have to be. I’d just like to say, I think this US of America is the FINEST country in the WORRRRLLLLLLD...I have never traveled but I don't need to. I also don't have the slightest idea what ignorant means. I just know it is a strong word and I like strong words...Daddy says I have to be strong or mommy gets the hurt again..........What was I saying again?

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10/27/2009 4:45:01 AM
Atwater369

This article was bad. Whoever wrote it is very ignorant. According to them, FISH AND MONKEYS AREN'T ALLOWED TO BE BLACK-SOUNDING, and THINGS THAT ARE BLACK AREN'T ALLOWED TO BE JIVE-TALKING MORONS. You're obviously pro-black-superiority. It's people like you that are making black people superior. You seem to forget that black people are perfectly capable of being stupid, racist, or acting in a generally stereotypical manner. If we want a society of racial equality, we should be able to make fun of black people, too.

10/26/2009 4:20:11 PM
Luke123Dude

Gee here's a thought, instead of bashing Disney for representing our country's current stance on politics and social/culture understanding, why can't we just take these examples as signs of the times? For the liberal p.c. pricks out there, how about watching yourselves before judging others? Oh that's right, you aren't responsible for your own behavior. And what's up with the blond with big tits at the bottom of your article? Guess we aren't concerned with women's rights yet. Hypocrites.

10/26/2009 11:37:35 AM
coinlee

Do you remember all the roomers about marijuana leaf pictures being in all of the Disney movies? Now it is all about Twilight and such: http://bit.ly/16VnA0 I wonder what the next new craze will be?

10/25/2009 5:38:17 PM
humorgurl

Hey Danas, how about instead of saying 'Arabic' we just say 'chain smoking sand people'

10/25/2009 4:52:57 PM
Anathame

A more obvious example from Aladdin: Abu was not a monkey in the original book. He was a little boy. Think of that what you will.

10/24/2009 8:38:06 PM
FadingMind

Save for one of the Black Crows being named "Jim Crow" and the issue of James Baskett being denied an invitation to the premiere of "Uncle Remus", I wouldn't consider these examples of blatant racism. Racial stereotypes? Certainly. People are often less likely, or might hesitate, to educate themselves on those who aren't like them; those that don't fit in their little box. It's not as criminal or shameful, as much as it's human nature and causes people to simply - albeit, very naively - think that all like people, have the same behaviors. That's natural and not necessarily wrong, until such stereotypes, if viewed as negatives, lead to a degree of actual racism, hatred, and discrimination, which are completely different from what is defined as a 'stereotype'. However, to come up with such a one-sided argument for this article, that focuses ONLY on the degrading racial stereotypes and attitudes of inferiority that majority groups project on minorities, as if the latter are forever doomed to be victims, incapable of projecting equally negative stereotypes and attitudes toward any other group, makes my skin crawl.

As a black woman, I really wonder if it's at all possible, in Western culture, for us minorities to ever stop playing along with the 'oppressed peoples' role and feeling that our bitterness toward whites, or any other majority group, is justified by what's written in our history books.

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10/21/2009 5:36:46 PM
kaly76hummer

Oh, one more thing...

"...dates from a time when people were unfairly characterized by their ethnic background (the acceptable methods are, of course, religion, geography, sexual preference and income)."

And weight, don't forget that. Fat people cause global warming and bankrupt the health care system, didn't you know? I'm surprised they're not rounding us all up and sending us to camps, and I don't mean fat camp either. Let's not get into stupid discussions about choice--people choose geography and religion, and tend to have a lot of wiggle room about sexual preference and income. It's all ridiculous.

10/19/2009 12:40:10 PM
danaseilhan

Funny, but in case someone hasn't said it (I'm not sorting thru over 400 comments), couple of points for ya:

1. When you're talking about the people, it's ARAB, not Arabic. Arabic is used to refer to the language only. Yes, even with "Arab people." If you want it to sound less awkward, just say "Arab".

2. Just because someone's an Arab doesn't make them dark. Not only are there "white pieces of cornbread" like Aladdin, there are blond-haired and green-eyed ones too. Example: Lisa Halaby, better known throughout the Middle East as Jordan's Queen Noor. I don't know how long this has been true but I suspect at least since the Crusades, in which there was likely some intermixing between the European invaders and the Arabs of Palestine. But other Semitic peoples have a wide range of colorings as well; redheads cropped up among the Hebrews from time to time, for instance.

Couple of other thoughts:

3. While the differences are certainly *used against* people of color as an excuse to make them culturally "lesser," why is it a problem in and of itself to portray people of different appearances and cultural behaviors? There are white people who party, there are black people who party. There are white people who work, there are black people who work. All this complaining about partying black people makes me wonder whether reverting to some kind of default wouldn't be better, but what would that default be--everyone acting white? How does one "act white," anyway, and why do we want everybody to do that?

2. It's bad to say you don't want to have a job? Have you HAD some of the jobs available out there? If you're not self-employed or working in academia, I promise you most of what's out there is s**t. I don't blame some people for wanting to avoid it. I'm not ashamed to work, I'm not ashamed to make money, but some of the things this culture makes you do in order to accomplish either are downright oppressive.

That said, chalk me up as another parent who likes a lot of the old cartoons but who feels a lot of trepidation about letting my daughter see the more racially insensitive bits. I try to balance it out and we live in a city with many races and cultures represented in the population so I think she will turn out OK, but still...

10/19/2009 12:36:47 PM
danaseilhan

"...he thinks he speared a roaring lion and he wants me to praise him!"

Those Darkies, always clamouring for the approval of us fine, upstanding white folk.

Not to mention Thursday clearly (and automatically) understands that Mickey, as a white person, is a superior force to defer to.

10/19/2009 11:58:58 AM
flitterella
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