Day 11: Racism & The Origins of Film

| CHALLENGE | DAY 1 | DAY 2 | DAY 3 | DAY 4 | DAY 5 | DAY 6 | DAY 7 | DAY 8 | DAY 9 | DAY 10 | DAY 11 | DAY 12 | DAY 13 | DAY 14 | DAY 15 | DAY 16 | DAY 17 | DAY 18 | DAY 19 | DAY 20 | DAY 21 |

The first celluloid film was shot in 1888, just 23 years after the end of the Civil War. Since then, film has been a powerful tool, both for perpetuating white supremacy and for challenging it.

One of the darkest chapters in the history of Hollywood is the institutionalization of the Hays Code 1934 and 1968, a set of guidelines created by the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America, now known as the Motion Picture Association of America (or MPAA). This code ensured ideas and depictions in opposition to institutionalized racism, sexism, and homophobia would not have a platform during the Golden Age of Hollywood.

^{The cast of “The Curse of Quon Gwon: When the Far East Mingles With the West” (Courtesy of CAAM)}

IF YOU HAVE…

5 Minutes	and	10 Minutes	and	1 HOUR
	and		and
READ THIS ARTICLE about how the film, The Birth of a Nation, depicted the Ku Klux Klan as the heroes of the post-Civil War South and was used as a recruiting tool, leading to a nationwide revival of the KKK during the 1920s.	and	WATCH THIS VIDEO with interviews excerpts from the documentary, Hollywood Chinese, featuring Amy Tan, David Henry Hwang, Joan Chen, James Hong, Nancy Kwan, Wayne Wang, and Lisa Lu discussing yellowface.	and	LISTEN TO THIS PODCAST where the hosts analyze some classic favorite movies and re-examine them within the context of an ever-evolving world and see if they hold up (13 episode series).

REFLECT

Take a moment to reflect today’s challenge and any insights you experienced.

• How did this challenge make you feel?
• What did you learn?
• What did you notice about yourself after taking the challenge?
• Consider sharing this new awareness with a friend or group to help deepen your understanding of the information.
• Continue the conversation online and connect with others by joining our Racial & Social Justice Facebook group.

Let us know why this challenge is important to you by leaving your comment here.

Thank you for joining us in our Stand Against Racism Challenge. Our work continues every weekday from May 2 – May 30. Each day you’ll be offered some content to help you take a deeper dive into the daily topic.

We ask that you undertake this challenge with an open mind and willingness to explore new ideas and allow yourself to sit with any emotions that may come up for you.

This content may be hard to process so consider having a self-care plan in place beforehand. This can include meditation before or after engaging, watching your favorite show, or doing something creative.

We look forward to going on this journey towards true equity and justice with you!

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