Walter Sthing
Jessica Garcia
US History 1302
“Walter’s Thing: The NAACP’s Hollywood Bureau of 1946–A Cautionary Tale”
In the article the author main point is that Walter White extended a great effort in combating racism and classic stereotypes in Hollywood in the 1940’s. The author feels like the new NAACP Bureau does a better job at including African Americans in every part of movie making.
In 1946, the big screen was coming to life and the world was being exposed to movie after movie. Most of the movies that were released were white actors filling stereotypical white roles. When a black actor was needed, for the most part their parts included what was thought to be the African American lives at the time. The Walter White wanted to abolish hateful stereotypes at in that era. Because those were the only parts that were being offered to African Americans many of the actors felt that their lively hood would be taken away from them. Walter White wanted to breach the lines of the white America and break down the racial barriers. On the Eve of the NAACP convention in Los Angeles, White asked Mellot, “Keep in mind the necessity of films taking a more enlightened attitude in picturing colored people.” World War II changed the attitude in Hollywood and there a softer approach to the representation of African Americans in Hollywood. Film historian, Lewis Jacob, noted that this change would not have happened if it had not been for the war. The stereotypical roles were gone, but there was that worry that Hollywood would turn back to pre-war era Hollywood and the roles would go back to not having meaning or substance and revert back to “Jim Crow” thinking. The author of the paper indicated that Walter White was being pulled back to the East Coast and look at other causes. Things started to go south for Walter. Movies that met the expectation of Walter White did not make money. He was still having to connect with the black actors. As the equality movement started to grow across the
US History 1302
“Walter’s Thing: The NAACP’s Hollywood Bureau of 1946–A Cautionary Tale”
In the article the author main point is that Walter White extended a great effort in combating racism and classic stereotypes in Hollywood in the 1940’s. The author feels like the new NAACP Bureau does a better job at including African Americans in every part of movie making.
In 1946, the big screen was coming to life and the world was being exposed to movie after movie. Most of the movies that were released were white actors filling stereotypical white roles. When a black actor was needed, for the most part their parts included what was thought to be the African American lives at the time. The Walter White wanted to abolish hateful stereotypes at in that era. Because those were the only parts that were being offered to African Americans many of the actors felt that their lively hood would be taken away from them. Walter White wanted to breach the lines of the white America and break down the racial barriers. On the Eve of the NAACP convention in Los Angeles, White asked Mellot, “Keep in mind the necessity of films taking a more enlightened attitude in picturing colored people.” World War II changed the attitude in Hollywood and there a softer approach to the representation of African Americans in Hollywood. Film historian, Lewis Jacob, noted that this change would not have happened if it had not been for the war. The stereotypical roles were gone, but there was that worry that Hollywood would turn back to pre-war era Hollywood and the roles would go back to not having meaning or substance and revert back to “Jim Crow” thinking. The author of the paper indicated that Walter White was being pulled back to the East Coast and look at other causes. Things started to go south for Walter. Movies that met the expectation of Walter White did not make money. He was still having to connect with the black actors. As the equality movement started to grow across the