Scarlett O'Hara? In the words of the Queen of all Memes, Mariah Carey, "I don't know her."
But, I do know Mammy. Or more accurately, I do know the actress who played the controversial character. Her name is Hattie McDaniel. She was the first black woman to win an Academy Award for her role as Scarlett O' Hara's no-nonsense house servant in the extremely problematic film, Gone with The Wind (1939).
Look. We all know Gone with the Wind has its issues. And it can be easy to judge McDaniel for accepting the role. However, to understand why she played Mammy, one must take into account her time and place in the world.
Who was Hattie McDaniel?
McDaniel was born on June 10, 1893, in Wichita, Kansas. She was the youngest daughter of former slave turned Civil War veteran Henry McDaniel. A talented singer and songwriter, McDaniel got her start in show business at an early age. After moving to Denver, Colorado as a teen, McDaniel would spend her time performing in a traveling minstrel group with her siblings. Though a highly controversial form of entertainment, McDaniel would use these acts to simultaneously lean in and critique harmful stereotypes about black men and women.
Sadly, McDaniel's gigs dried up during the Great Depression. With very few opportunities available for black women at the time, the performer had to work as a washroom attendant at Sam Pick's Club Madrid in Wisconsin. Though she was able to perform nightly at the club as a singer, this job did not provide the same income she made with her minstrel shows. Fortunately, her prospects rosed again when her brother convinced her to move to Los Angeles. Once there, McDaniel was able to land roles in several films including, Fox's The Little Colonel (1935) and Universal Picture's Show Boat (1936).
McDaniel's performances were a point of contention for black organizations such as the NAACP. They felt that her characters, which were slaves and housekeepers, demeaned black people. But in McDaniel's defense, these were the only roles black performers could book at the time. And like her contemporaries, McDaniel spent her time giving back to the black community, notably performing for black service members at USO shows.
Fast forward to 1939, and McDaniel is on the big screen as Mammy on Gone with the Wind. Though this performance garnered her critical acclaimed, McDaniel couldn't attend the film premiere in Atlanta due to segregation. And despite winning an award for Best Supporting Actress at 12th Annual Academy Awards, the actress was forced to sit at a segregated table away from her peers.
McDaniel rarely gained the recognition and respect she deserved despite appearing in over 300 films. In celebration of the actress’s storied life, here are five black films you can watch this week. These movies feature black women in all their multifaceted glory.
Five Black Films to Watch This Week
Belle (2013)
Director: Amma Asante
Screenplay: Misan Sagay
Starring: Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Tom Wilkinson, Sam Reid, Emily Watson, Sarah Gadon
Available: Starting from $3.99 on iTunes, Amazon Prime, and Google Play
About: Do you want to watch a glossy costumed drama that stars a beautiful black actress? I have some good news for you. Belle delivers on the costumes, the high drama, and the black star. Inspired by a painting of Dido Elizabeth Belle by David Martin, this film follows the inspiring story of the illegitimate mix-race daughter of a wealthy British aristocrat. Stuck between two worlds, Belle fights to end slavery in her country while proving she has a place in the world.
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Juanita (2019)
Director: Clark Johnson
Screenplay: Roderick Spencer
Starring: Alfre Woodard, Adam Beach, LaTanya Richardson Jackson, Marcus Henderson, Blair Underwood
Available: Netflix
About: This film is based on the novel Dancing on the Edge of the Roof by Sheila Williams. The story follows Juanita (Woodard), a middle-aged black woman from Columbus, Ohio who leaves her hometown to reinvent herself at a French restaurant in the middle of Montana. Charming, whimsical, and surprisingly funny, this film will make you fall in love with Juanita and her new eccentric friends.
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Little Woods (2019)
Director: Nia DaCosta
Screenplay: Nia DaCosta
Starring: Tessa Thompson, Lily James, Luke Kirby, Lance Reddick, James Badge Dale
Available: Starting from $3.99 on iTunes, Amazon Prime, and Google. Free for Hulu subscribers.
About: After losing their mother, estranged sisters Ollie (Thompson) and Deb (James) have no other choice but to jump into the illegal world of drug smuggling near the Canada-United States border to gain some quick funds to save their family home. Deeply tragic but intriguing, this crime western will make you question the war on drugs in America.
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Mudbound (2017)
Director: Dee Rees
Screenplay: Dee Rees, Virgil Williams
Starring: Mary J. Blige, Jason Mitchell, Carey Mulligan, Garrett Hedlund, Jason Clarke, Jonathan Banks
Available: Netflix
About: Two veterans return home to rural Mississippi after the Allies won World War II. One black and the other white, these men struggle to navigate their world as they grapple with PTSD and systematic racism. Thanks to its stellar cast and remarkable screenplay, this historical drama has been nominated for multiple awards, including a Golden Globes nomination for Mary J. Blige.
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Selah and the Spades (2019)
Director: Tayarisha Poe
Screenplay: Tayarisha Poe
Starring: Lovie Simone, Celeste O'Connor, Jharrel Jerome, Ana Mulvoy-Ten, Jesse Williams
Available: Amazon Prime
About: At a private Pennsylvania boarding school, five secret factions rule supreme. Senior Selah Summer (Simone) is the leader of the most notorious faction, the Spades. Her role as alpha is to find a successor before she graduates. Unfortunately, Selah’s power begins to crumble when her pupil challenges her reign. Engrossing and political, Selah and the Spades prove that teen dramas like Cruel Intentions and Thoroughbreds work spectacularly with a diverse cast.
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