Racism And Prejudice In Film

The cultural representation of people of color in film is a serious form of racism and prejudice within United States. White-washing, which speaking in terms of film, is casting practices where white actors are casted as historically non-white characters. Therefore, to explain the definition of white-washing as well as racism within the film industry, the following are statistics of the diversity gap in the Academy Awards throughout 87 years: 98% white producers, 98% white writers, 88% white actors. Best actress winners have been 99% white and 1% person of color, while best actor winners have been 92% white and 8% of color. If racism was non-existent in the film industry, why are there no winners within the last decade of Latino, Asian, or Native American Descent (Palmer)? Earlier in February the hashtag #OscarsSoWhite tag became viral on social media in America, where the established problem focused around the lack of diversity within the ceremony (Huck).

As seen in Edwin S. Porter’s film Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1903), the acting in the movie became whitewashed by actors who were in blackface. Whereas the film leans towards making light of the matter at hand, whereas the movie relentlessly reinforces the idea of racist tendencies hiding within American cinema. Another film, Gone with the Wind (1939) depicts African Americans as savagely, ignorant, and only functional with a white owner. Purposefully avoiding the subject of slavery, the film was set during the Civil War-era. The movie also boldly broadcasts that two categories of African Americans existed, the respectable obedient slaves, and the immoral field workers