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By Stephanie Holland / Editor in Chief
A new style princess (Walt Disney Pictures)
By Stephanie Holland / Editor in Chief
In Disney’s newest animated feature “The Princess and the Frog,” the company is doing something it has never done before by having the heroine be Black.
While the news that the studio would finally feature their first Black princess was cause for celebration for some, for others it became a reason to crticize.
While it’s true that Tiana was originally a servant, changing her to a strong self sufficient cook who dreams of owning her own restaurant not only silenced critics, it gave the character more depth.
Tiana is the type of princess who will teach young girls of all ethnicities that they don’t have to wait for Prince Charming to achieve their dreams.
She tells them that it is possible to rely on one’s self to make dreams come true.
“The Princess and the Frog” takes place in New Orleans during the Jazz Age of the ‘20s.
Placing the story in a setting like this will create an opportunity for children to learn about a specific historical time in a fun atmosphere.
There is also the added bonus that anytime a light is shone on the incredible history of New Orleans, it means people will be thinking about how to help the city find its way back to the unique place it once was.
One would think that the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the rest of the film’s critics would be happy that someone is focusing on a more positive aspect of African-American history.
There is also the argument that Tiana’s love interest Prince Naveen isn’t Black. As a matter of fact, it isn’t made clear where he’s from or what nationality he is.
Naveen is from the fictional country Moldavia, has dark brown skin and is voiced by Latino actor Bruno Campos.
So who’s to say if they are an interracial couple and even if they are, who cares.
When most little girls play princess they aren’t looking that deep into a character.
They generally choose favorites based on what color a certain princess’s dress is or on how shiny her hair is.
It’s nice that Disney has made an effort to accomodate the feelings of the African-American community, but when you get right down to it, it’s just a movie.
So maybe everyone should just relax and enjoy it for what it is, a work of fiction that tells a nice story and has fun, catchy music.