Morgan Freeman shared his dislike for the concepts of ‘Black History Month’ and ‘African American’ in a rare interview. According to the legendary actor, he thinks both terms are offensive. His comments about race have sparked a debate on social media with opinions both favoring and opposing those of Morgan Freeman.
He spoke to The Times in London just before the release of his latest film, A Good Person, in which he co-stars with Florence Pugh. During the interview, he talked about how the acting industry has evolved since he started his career in the 1960s, as well as mentioning other influential black actors such as Denzel Washington and Sidney Poitier.
Morgan Freeman explains why ‘African American’ and ‘Black History Month’ are insulting terms
In an interview with The Sunday Times published on Saturday, Morgan Freeman expressed his disregard of both Black History Month and the term “African American.” The Oscar-winning actor stated that he finds Black History Month insulting because it relegates the history of black people to just one month.
Furthermore, Morgan Freeman considers “African American” an insult and does not subscribe to that title. He went on to say that black people have been called different titles throughout history, including the n-word. The actor does not understand why everyone uses “African American” despite this fact.
The Shawshank Redemption actor also pointed out that the term is imprecise because most black people in the United States are of mixed heritage and calling them “African American” suggests that they are all from Africa, which is a continent, not a country, like Europe.
To make his point, Freeman noted that people use specific terms like “Irish-Americans” or “Italian-Americans” but not “Euro-Americans.” This is not the first time Freeman has made this point; he described Black History Month as “ridiculous” in 2005.
Major talking points from Morgan Freeman’s interview
During the interview, Morgan Freeman agreed with fellow actor Denzel Washington‘s statement that being Black is not the only aspect of one’s identity. He stated that he cannot be defined by just one aspect of his identity. He also expressed admiration for Denzel Washington’s career.
Morgan Freeman also discussed how the entertainment industry has become more inclusive. He noted that roles for Black actors were comedic at that time, when he began his career in the 1960s. He believes that the industry has improved, with people of all backgrounds and orientations now represented on screen.
The veteran actor reflected on being involved in community theater if he had not succeeded in Hollywood. He acknowledged that success requires courage and luck, both of which he credits for his career.
Morgan Freeman also shared that Sidney Poitier had been his inspiration growing up, and that he had later had the opportunity to speak to the veteran actor in person.
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