How far did GONE WITH THE WIND influence and reflect changing perceptions of race, 1850 – 2009?

Question 1

Date

Answer 1

1939

Question 2

Director, main actors

Answer 2

David O. Selznik.

Question 3

Context

Answer 3

NAACP tried to organise a boycott of the film. Walter White, NAACP secretary wrote to director to point out how biased the novel was.
O. Selznik did not want to make racist film. Removed all direct references to the KKK and words like ‘darkies’ and ‘niggers’.

Question 4

Representations of race and racial issues

Answer 4

Reinforced view of black Americans as loyal, subservient, uneducated.

Question 5

Reactions/Impact

Answer 5

Hattie McDaniel became first black actor to win an Oscar.

Many believed the depiction of the south and reconstruction.