The Black Lives Matter and the revisionist movement surrounding the eradication of racist influence in popular culture has now reached Disney World and Disneyland, as activists and fans are demanding thematic change for the popular ride which is based in ‘Song of the South’, a very controversial and supposedly the company’s most racist movie up to date.
There is now a petition in Change.org demanding the company to completely refurbish the visitors’ favourite ride. Although the ride itself does not depict any written analogy related to the 1946 movie, it does have Brer Rabbit and Brer Fox in the ride composition as well as the theme song ‘Zip-a-dee-doo-dah’ playing during the ride. It has long been criticized due to its racist and stereotyped portrayal of African Americans in post-civil war south.
In lieu of the controversial thematic installation, the petitioners have provided a very diversification-oriented replacement idea for the ride: Change the characters to Tiana from the franchise’s 2010 movie ‘The Princess and The Frog’! ‘While the ride is considered a beloved classic it’s history and storyline are steeped in extremely problematic and stereotypical racist tropes from the 1946 film Song of the South,’ says the online petition’s initiator Alex O.
The petition claims ‘there is a huge need for diversity in the parks and this could help fill that need.’
‘Princess and the Frog is a beloved princess movie but has very little representation in the parks,’ explains the petition now nearing the needed number to be finalized as an official petition to relevant authorities.
The Frog and the Princess tells the story of Tiana, a young black waitress in New Orleans. She turns into a frog herself, and tries to find her way of turning back into human, while also trying to find her path in life.
Song of the South, is based on Joel Chandler Harris’ Uncle Remus stories, and takes place during the Reconstruction Era after the American Civil War. The film stars James Baskett as Uncle Remus and won an Oscar for best original song in 1948.
‘There are plenty of examples of pernicious racism in Song of the South’, wrote Scott Tobias in a 2019 The Guardian article, ‘The minstrelsy of the animated characters, particularly Br’er Fox; the slang in the dialogue; a wandering chorus singing traditional black songs; and, most notoriously of all, a fable where Br’er Fox and Br’er Bear use a tar baby to fool and ensnare Br’er Rabbit,’ the writer explains.
‘That part didn’t make Splash Mountain,’ he adds.
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Replaced!