http://www.blackpast.org/?q=aah/baskett-james-1904-1948

hollywood 1948
james basket is rarely referred to as the first african-american to receive an oscar ... i thought that our own sir sidney was the first man to receive such an award.

anyway, i finally got to see "song of the south" on DVD this evening, and despite some pretty in-your-face stereotypes, found it well-done considering that it was produced in the 1940s when segregation was all the rage. has anyone else here seen it?

http://www.blackpast.org/?q=aah/baskett-james-1904-1948

hollywood 1948
james basket is rarely referred to as the first african-american to receive an oscar ... i thought that our own sir sidney was the first man to receive such an award.

anyway, i finally got to see "song of the south" on DVD this evening, and despite some pretty in-your-face stereotypes, found it well-done considering that it was produced in the 1940s when segregation was all the rage. has anyone else here seen it?
Actually, Hattie McDaniel was the first African-American to win an Oscar in 1940 for her role as Mammy in the 1939 film Gone With The Wind

Actually, Hattie McDaniel was the first African-American to win an Oscar in 1940 for her role as Mammy in the 1939 film Gone With The Wind

good point ... perhaps we thought that sir sidney was the first such man? (miz mcdaniel was in "song of south" as well.)

Sir Sidney was the first black man to win a competitive Oscar for Best Actor. James Haskett was given an honourary special oscar. Hattie McDaniel was the first black woman and first black overall to win a competitve oscar. Normally when reference is made to firsts as it relates to the Oscars, they are talking about competitive oscars and not honourary ones.

http://www.blackpast.org/?q=aah/baskett-james-1904-1948
hollywood 1948
james basket is rarely referred to as the first african-american to receive an oscar ... i thought that our own sir sidney was the first man to receive such an award.
anyway, i finally got to see "song of the south" on DVD this evening, and despite some pretty in-your-face stereotypes, found it well-done considering that it was produced in the 1940s when segregation was all the rage. has anyone else here seen it?

sounds like a conflict of interest.

sounds like a conflict of interest.

how so?

given the uproar over the classist/racist stereotypes (slave, white trash, clueless antebellum belle) that disney was pummeled with once this film was made, i'm thinking that mr. basket's talent was caught up in a tidal wave of political correctness.

his excellent performance as uncle remus and brer rabbit is aces above everyone else's in the film, which really is an interesting chronicle of white america in the 1940s ... especially when you learn that mr. basket couldn't even attend the film's premiere in atlanta in 1946, because no one would rent him a hotel room:footmouth.