Racial Discrimination In Entertainment Essay

Over the last two centuries, our society has grappled with the perpetual strife of perceived racial discrimination. Inalienable Rights and founding principles of our nation have been tarnished by the belief that these are mere privileges, reserved for a select few fortunate enough to indulge in such luxuries. However, the last few decades have ushered into existence a transformed nation, where Supreme Court cases and social revolutions have seemingly eroded the dichotomous barriers of race. On one end of the spectrum, open wounds of our nation’s tumultuous past have been stung by the racial inequities of household income and a maliciously disproportionate incarceration system. On the other end of the spectrum, patriotism and unity swell to heights of exuberance at the sight of the increasingly diverse entertainment industry and
A recent example of this diversity can be cultivated from this year’s Primetime Emmy Awards, where Viola Davis became the first African American to win “Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series” for the television series How to Get Away with Murder. However, the diversity of the entertainment industry is not as subjective as a critic’s opinion. This year will also serve as a surrogate for diversity with the deliverance of what is predicted to be the largest box office earner of all time: Star Wars Episode VII. When the force awakens on December 18th, it will bring with it a cast that ranges from black actor John Boyega, English actress Daisy Ridley, to Guatemalan actor Oscar Isaacs. Furthermore, the supporting cast features Kenyan-raised actress Lupita Nyong’o, following an Academy Award win for her role in 12 Years a Slave. Such diversity promenaded on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is a prodigious testament to the erosion of racial discrimination in our society.