Race and Disney

Today in class discussions we got on the topic of race and ethnicity both in societies perceptions and in the tale or Disney movies made from the tales we are discussing. I found the above image really interesting as throughout the years you can see the break down of cultural and ethnic boundaries as more and more princesses of different ethnicity's are added to Disney's collection of perfect princesses. Disney's integration of princesses really follows trend with our countries feelings about race and ethnicity. In the 1950's-1980's no other ethnicitys were portrayed in pop culture other than beautiful white people. In the late 80's and 90's that all started to change. I think it is almost ridiculous that it has taken this long to get a black princess added to the list. Racial tension in our country still goes on today and affects all of us in some way or another. I think it is a safe bet that the lack of a black Disney princess has greatly affected young black girls throughout their development because unlike white girl children there is not beautiful woman to look up to. Black girls are forced to look up to white women in thier childhoods which is very telling of what our "white society" is comfortable with. Is it threatening to give black girls a black princess role model or does that undermine the subliminal culture of inferiority they are being fed through Disney's movies?