Of Museums and Princesses
April 21, 2009 by blackgirlgrown
Filed under books, movies, and music
Designer Chosen for African American History Museum:
The African American History Museum is becoming a reality here in Washington, DC. As a part of the renowned Smithsonian Institution, the museum will:
“…tell the African American story from the African origins, through slavery and emancipation, to politics, music, sports and spirituality.
The museum, which was approved by President George W. Bush in 2003, is a joint public-private project with half the funds coming from Congress.
The estimated start of construction is 2012. In the meantime the museum staff has been collecting artifacts, including the 5,000 photographs of H.C. Anderson in Mississippi and thousands of items from the Black Fashion Museum, and it is seeking a slave cabin. The museum is currently sponsoring an exhibition of the Scurlock Studio, a family photography business in Washington for most of the 20th century, at the National Museum of American History, and has launched an online museum.
Disney Introduces First Black Princess:
Long ago and far away, she was an unnamed little princess in a little story called the “The Frog Prince.” She and her amphibious friend lived in a very small, mostly forgotten corner of the fairy tale universe.
Many years passed.
And then one day, through the magical powers of Disney animation and commercial marketing, the forgotten little princess was transformed into Tiana, a beautiful black princess from New Orleans. She became the star of “The Princess and the Frog,” a movie set to premiere in November. Her doll and toy set were unveiled last month, and the Disney promotional machine is already humming, for Tiana is the first Disney princess in more than a decade, and the first ever to be black.
The story goes on to quote various professors on the impact of Disney’s first black princess:
“If this figure takes off, you’re looking at 30 or 40 years of repetition and resonance,” says Tricia Rose, a Brown University professor who teaches both popular culture and African American studies, citing the enduring popularity of Disney princesses at the company’s theme parks, on Web sites and in videos.
“It’s a very big deal,” says Leonard Maltin, the film historian, critic and author of “Of Mice and Magic: A History of American Animated Cartoons.”
“She’s the first modern American [Disney] princess, and that she’s black sends a huge message,” says Cori Murray, entertainment director for Essence magazine.
The Frog Princess will be in theatres this holiday season. So be sure to see it IN the theatres so that the voice actors get their $ and Disney understands the monetary and moral value of The Frog Princess. I’m not talking about anyone in particular, but buying a bootleg copy at the hair salon doesn’t count.
