“Backlash emerges behind Cynthia Erivo’s role in Harriet” — ABC News, 2020, 11:21 — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zr3fiKJitmo

Do children of African immigrants have different experiences than those who are the descendants of slaves? This nuanced video is an excellent example of the intersections between race, immigration/slave status, and social class oppression. The controversy here is that the actress hired to play Harriet Tubman should have been a person with family ties to American slavery. ADOS, or the American Descendants of Slavery, says those whose families immigrated to the US are the elites of the African American community. Statistics from the Pew Research Center (2015) support their argument. U.S.-born blacks have a lower median household income, lower education attainment, and less of a chance of being raised in two-parent households than black immigrants. As such, ADOS takes offense at casting African Americans from immigrant families to play slaves (and other iconic roles) in movies. It’s not just the movies, though, as black immigrants may also be benefiting from affirmative action policies designed to mitigate the generational disadvantage resulting from slavery.

This video should spark a vibrant discussion on the salience of immigration status and racial oppression. Other sociological themes include intersectionality, discrimination, caste systems, and perhaps xenophobia.

From the video’s description: ABC News’ Steve Osunsami addresses criticism behind Erivo's “blackness” related to her portrayal of Harriet Tubman, despite being a British actor.