Leave Black Actresses Alone for Good

It seems like no matter what they do, black actresses always receive some type of criticism for the roles they play in movies. Most recently, two of the lead actresses in The Help received harsh criticism for playing domestic roles. Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer were both questioned on their decision to play such matronly roles, ones that reflected the black lifestyle during segregation times. While on the "Travis Smiley Show", Smiley admitted that he felt the roles Davis and Spencer played in the helped diminished their place in society. He was disappointed in their decision to take on such a role, one that was similar to Hattie McDaniel in her role as Mammy in Gone With the Wind. Since Gone With the Wind was released 73 years ago, blacks have overcome boundaries they never expected to conquer. Yet even though today we are a segregation free country, two extremely successful actresses are still being questioned about their roles. Mark Anthony Neal ended his article by sharing his opinion on how it would be if McDaniel, Davis, and Spencer all met at the Oscars today. Neal shared that he though McDaniel would praise Davis and Spencer for their roles as housemaids and their success in Hollywood. McDaniel would probably be shocked to see that the Oscars are no longer segregated, as with the rest of the world, and she would be surprised to hear about all of the segregation problems of the 1960's. Neal ended his article by saying, It’s all relative and it’s about time we trust black artists to make choices for the sake of their art and not tired ideals about how “negro-folk” are supposed to act."


Neal appeared to be offended by the grief that Davis and Spencer received for their acting roles. When he is not writing, Neal is a professor of African and African American studies at Duke University. He is obviously educated on the topic. Neal used logos in his article when talking about the successes of Davis, Spencer, and McDaniel. He also mentioned President Obama and and many civil rights leaders. I think that Neal strongly supports Davis and Spencer for their acting decisions and thinks the world of them. He used ethos when describing what a possible meeting between Davis, Spencer, and McDaniel would have been like. He made it a very personal interaction and was able to persuade the reader that racism is wrong and although everyone is entitled to have their own opinion, it is important to always respect others. 


Stop Policing Black Actresses by Mark Anthony Neal
http://entertainment.salon.com/2012/02/25/stop_policing_black_actresses/