Black British Actors In American Roles: Is It Wrong?

There's been a debate circulating online, and I want your opinion, should Black British actors portray Black American characters?

Personally, I don’t see the issue, but some are upset that Black British actors have been cast over Black American actors for roles because they claim that the stories are not their history. For example, when the 2019 movie, Harriet, came out, some were upset that British artist, Cynthia Erivo was cast over an American actor, but my question is, just because she is not American, does that mean she does not identify with the Black struggle?

I am aware that racism and discrimination in America Vs. the U.K can take different forms, and while some may be more overt than others, it does not mean that one simply does not exist. Being an American artist, or a British one does not erase your blackness, and your ability to understand the nuances that come with being Black.

While this debate has always been a hot topic, it has recently resurfaced when Naomi Ackie was announced to play Whitney Houston in the forthcoming biopic I Wanna Dance With Somebody. Some were irate that a woman of color from the U.K was chosen over a Black American women, because Whitney's American roots and her upbringing in a Black American church, were instrumental to her story. Others felt that it was unfair to discredit Naomi’s ability based on the sole fact that she is a Black woman from the U.K. rather than the U.S.

Idris Elba even threw in his opinion, stating, “You know what I noticed?” Elba said. “You said Black women in America versus an English woman. Like being English makes you less Black? To me, that defines how unintelligent the whole argument is.No disrespect to anyone who has that feeling, it is what it is,” he continued. “But the fact is: we’re all Black… But amongst ourselves we want to point fingers because we come from a conditioning that makes people just make sure ‘Where’re you from?’ and ‘Are you authentic from where you’re from? How Black are you?’”

It’s important that we realize the insinuations we are unconsciously saying by these statements. Black people on a whole, regardless of where they are from, face a unique struggle that only we can identify and relate to. While I would understand if we were comparing racism faced in America to a predominantly Black country, that is not the case. The U.K. has racism as well, and Black people there do identify with the issues we see here. Also - if the performer can do the story justice, why not let them?

American Prophet: Frederick Douglass In His Own Words Review

This past weekend, I saw American Prophet: Frederick Douglas in his own words, and I was blown away. As someone who has read one of Frederick Douglass's books, I loved how authentic this musical was to his words. A lot of the dialogue and songs come from Frederick Douglass and they are masterfully intertwined into the storyline.

As some of our readers know, here at the business athlete we love to support creatives and performers. There are some performances that I have found to be spectacular while others I wasn’t as excited about. But this is one show that I can honestly say had me enraptured for every moment. The show starts with Frederick Douglass reciting a monologue about the importance of the Black person being recognized in America. = We then see how his life unfolds, and how he became known as such a great orator and thought leader for the American perspective on race. I appreciate that his text and his writing and his thoughts and words were not compromised for the sake of music or for funny dialogue. The text itself was true to what he originally wrote, no matter how heavy or hard it was for some to hear.

Frederick Douglass's writing is honest and unfiltered, which could have led the creative team to want to dilute some of the dialogue. Unfortunately, in many shows that speak on the issues of racism and slavery, they try to make the dialogue digestible for all audiences, ensuring that others are not left uncomfortable. But one thing that I appreciated about this production was that they did not do that. They left his words as is and incorporated them into the show to let everyone know the severity of slavery and what people like Frederick Douglass witnessed and went through.

Another thing that I appreciated about this production was that women did not go unnoticed. One of the main story arcs was of his wife Anna, and how she played an instrumental role in helping Frederick be known as an abolitionist. There’s even one moment of the show where she steps back to say that women are often forgotten in history and while people may always remember his name will they remember hers? She speaks about how many women are usually sidelined and behind the scenes and while she will do anything to help her husband she often wonders where her legacy lies. I appreciated that they took the time to tell the story of Anna because there are so many women, especially Black women that do not get the heroic song and dance as others do. They do the silent work that often goes unnoticed, but in this show, it was not.

What was my favorite part you may ask? Mine was the unfiltered truth of Frederick Douglass explaining what the Fourth of July means to him. As a person of color in this country, this is always a day that I’ve had mixed emotions about. Celebrating the Fourth of July should be a day of feeling unison within the country but often, leave many of us divided even in 2022. It is startling, frustrating, and sad that words written in 1852 are still true to this day. The actor recites, "what to the American slave is the Fourth of July? A day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim." You could feel in that moment the theater grew silent because so many of us know we still feel like that to this day. It takes true artistry for the production team, and an actor to have the audience feel that and resonate with the words that were written centuries ago.

So, if you were in the Washington DC area I encourage you to see this show. The cast is marvelous, the creative team is phenomenal, and everyone behind this production has obviously put their heart and soul into it. But overall, I think it will resonate the most with what it’s like to be Black in America in 1852 or 2022. Many of the words spoken then still hold true today. The show ends with one of Frederick Douglass his most known writings, if there is no struggle, there is no progress.

Information about the show can be found here: https://www.americanprophetthemusical.com/

Juneteenth: Not Just Another Corporate Holiday

Today we observe Juneteenth, which was on Sunday, June 19th. This day commemorates the official date when Black Americans officially found out about their freedom, years after it had been granted. This holiday started out as a grassroots celebration, with people in the Black community advocating for this day to be nationally recognized.

Juneteenth is now an official federal holiday, which means many corporations have given employees the day off. It's important to remember that this date is not another excuse for having a family barbecue and breaking out the games. This is a day to reflect on how Black people have, and continue to be, marginalized and put at a disadvantage. Many corporations think that by giving us the day off this means that they're doing their part as an advocate, but truly they are just doing performative allyship.

So you gave us the day off, what do you really think this does for B;ack people? Most of your staff will either use the day to hang out with family and friends, use the day to catch up on chores and sleep in, or do any other miscellaneous task on hand. You think that you've helped black people in the progression, but in reality you have just done another performative job that really doesn't help us in any way.

When it comes down to it, corporations have been notorious for doing the bare minimum when it comes to being true allies and especially proponents for those in the black community. They'll post the hashtag black lives matter, post for Dr. Martin Luther King jr. day, and black history month. But when it comes down to it, half of their workforce is comprised of non-Black people, most of their board of directors and executive staff have little to no Black people on it, and their diversity and inclusion initiatives are led by people who are not directly affected by diversity and inclusion or the few black people on the team are tasked with leading this initiative.

And giving people Juneteenth off is no exception to this. It is not gracious to give us the day off , it is rightly deserved. Corporations don't hesitate to give people Memorial day off or Veterans Day because the gravitas of those days are known throughout the country. As should Juneteenth. While this day does not affect all people similarly, the background behind it shows that as a country we have victimized others and those effects do reverberate even today. Corporations should not only give people Juneteenth off but also educate their staff on Juneteenth. They should walk the walk and talk the talk by putting black people in positions of power, and educating team members about the importance of the day and about the importance of having black voices and contributions in any narrative. It's nice to give your employees the day off but when they head back to work and are faced with microaggressions and very little to no career opportunities, having the day off means nothing. So let's remember that Juneteenth is not just another corporate holiday. This day has more weight than some can even imagine and it's important that we always hold that near to us.