*The Association of Black Women Historians are speaking out against both the best-selling novel and the new movie “The Help,” urging fans to reconsider the popular tale of African American maids in 1960s Jackson, Miss., who risk sharing their experiences with a young white journalist.
“Despite efforts to market the book and the film as a progressive story of triumph over racial injustice, ‘The Help’ distorts, ignores, and trivializes the experiences of black domestic workers,” the statement read, according to Entertainment Weekly.
The group of scholars took issue with novelist Kathryn Stockett’s use of “black” dialect, her nearly uniform portrayal of black men as cruel or absent, and the lack of attention paid to the sexual harassment that many black women endured in their white employers’ homes.
“The Association of Black Women Historians finds it unacceptable for either this book or this film to strip black women’s lives of historical accuracy for the sake of entertainment.”
They further made clear that while they may disapprove of ‘The Help’ as storytelling, they very much admire and respect the “stellar performances” of the movie’s black actresses like Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer.
In EW’s cover story on the film, Davis (who plays Aibileen, the first maid to talk frankly with the white journalist, played by Emma Stone) acknowledged the charged conversations that were sure to accompany the film’s release. She says she too approached the novel with enormous suspicion, “because a white woman was writing what I felt was our story, and once again she’s going to get it wrong and she’s only going to skim the surface,” she said.
Yet the story, and what she calls the deep humanity of the characters, won her over. “That’s what people bristle at: the maids,” she says. “I’ve played lawyers and doctors who are less explored and more of an archetype than these maids.”
The ABWH statement takes the film to task for seeming to suggest that after the assassination of Civil Rights pioneer Medgar Evers, the sole response of the black community was to quake in fear and anxiety. But it should be noted that at a recent special screening hosted by the NAACP, his widow, Myrlie Evers-Williams, bestowed upon The Help her most passionate blessing.
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Soooooo, “do as I say, not as I do”? Well, ladies, I not only have READ the book, I’m also going to s@@ the movie! I wonder what was their opinion of “The color purple”?
Phrases like “You tole Harpo to beat me”, “i’s married now” and “You shole is ugly” probably did not garner any praise.
I am the granddaughter, grandniece and great grandneice of maids, (and have pics of my fabulous relatives with their white chilluns). These ladies did what they needed to do, with respect for themselves, humility, dignity and an abiding faith that their children and grandchildren would have it better. These ladies owned property, land and homes and worked to food on the table and have a little savings that was left to many of our parents. Back then, it wasn’t about ‘getting things’ cause we had a lot!! it was about getting respect and having the courage to take a stand and demand it! THAT is part of the history of Black Women and the foundation to why there is even an Association of Black Women Historians.
I say ‘Hush up dat noise now!……Grandma’s little black chile with multiple degrees is tryna watch da movie! ‘
Thank you for the reminder about these great ladies….I am SURE they have been in ALL of our families!!!!
You got that right! EVERY single one of our families Ipen!!!!! These ladies dealt with sugar honey ice tea every day so that we have what we have. ALL of us need to stand up, take account and stop acting like we ashamed of them. We have much to learn by reading about them and listening to them.
I read the book and saw the movie yesterday, only 1 of 4 people of color. I cried through a lot of it. I think blacks and Hispanics will have a completely different reaction to it than whites. I happen to go with a white friend of mine. Let’s just say, while we both agreed that the performances were strong, the content left a lot to be desired. And to think that this is still a reality for many domestics today. There may not be separate bathrooms, but, separate but equal has not gone away.