Disney's Illusion of Inclusion

Author

• Marissa DavisFollow

Date of Award

5-2026

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

History

Committee Chair/Advisor

Dr. Orville Vernon Burton

Committee Member

Dr. Carmen Harris

Committee Member

Dr. Abel Bartley

Committee Member

Dr. Alan Grubb

Abstract

Walt Disney’s films were not simply entertainment, but a use of racial stereotypes as a profit strategy. Even scholarship that explores these tactics and critically analyzes his most problematic misrepresentations do not to consider the role of Walt Disney, as a man, in creating and promoting these narratives. These depictions, while somewhat in line with the culture when he first entered the business, failed to evolve as society changed. Rather, they were deliberate choices to attract white audiences and increase revenue.

Over time, these tropes became socially unacceptable, yet Disney maintained them for public consumption. While Disney and his company publicly claimed fairness and nondiscrimination beginning in 1928, historical evidence tells a different story. Focusing on African American representation, this study shows how Disney’s media creations reinforced harmful ideas about Black people. (In this study, I am capitalizing the term “Black” signifying it as a nationality much like late 19^th and 20^th century African Americans capitalized “Negro” for the same reason).  An analysis of Walt Disney’s life, the environments that influenced him and the people with whom he worked, his films, company records, and documents from contemporary sources reveal that Disney’s image of inclusion was largely an illusion that helped sustain racial hierarchy in American entertainment.

Recommended Citation

Davis, Marissa, "Disney's Illusion of Inclusion" (2026). All Theses. 4762.
https://open.clemson.edu/all_theses/4762