Disney's Black American Princess

First Michelle Obama and now this. I can now die and go to heaven.

Finally! A black Disney princess!

Princess Tiana officially joins the Disney sisterhood in December with the release of “The Princess and the Frog”. The storyline is familiar: girl pines for a handsome boyfriend, kisses frog, turns into frog, must find cure, etc. The story is set in 1920s New Orleans, a time and place that will add a pungent sense of magic and sensuality.

If I was 8 years old right now I would have the Princess Tiana game on lock. Tiara, check. Dress, check. Emerald necklace, check. Wig, check. Little plastic frog to kiss, check. Book, DVD, game, McDonald's figurine, Disneyland ride, bed linens, dresser, bed, sofa, kitchen: check.

Of course when anything of significance to the black community occurs, there is controversy. Some say that the prince is too light-skinned or as Angela Bronner Helm of the Black Voices blog wrote “Disney obviously doesn't think a black man is worthy of the title of prince” (the NYT cited her post on the blog on March 19th). Others express outrage that the movie is set in New Orleans, a place that “the setting of one of the most devastating tragedies to beset a black community.”

Now I know we as black folks can be a little sensitive about how our community is portrayed because of past images like this:



But with this new movie I think Disney tried to consciously ensure an open and meaningful dialog with what I call prominent “African-American representatives”. Hey, if Poprah says it okay, then it must be legit (Oprah was cast as Tiana's mother).

“A Tiana crown for you! And a Tiana crown for you!”

Finally the world will be introduced to a BAP that we all can be proud of.