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Lessons of ‘The Butler’ Still Relevant Today
An American story
that never gets old
by
M arc
H. M orial
We tend to think of poli
ticians, pundits and school
books as the great trouba
dours of history and shapers
of public opinion. But when
a movie like “Lee Daniels’
The Butler” comes along, we are reminded
that nothing moves the spirit or traces time
like simple storytelling.
The film not only offers a rare glimpse
inside the everyday world of the dignified
men in tuxedos who silently serve American
presidents and their guests, in two hours it
covers four decades of civil rights history as
seen through the eyes of a black White House
butler who worked through eight administra
tions.
Hollywood has historically shied away
from more serious black, historical themed
movies, believing they have limited box-
office appeal. In fact, the film’s African
American director, Lee Daniels, had a hard
time corralling 41 producers to finance “The
Butler.”
Some critics have also claimed weariness
at the retelling of the African American free
dom story. But, recent events tell us that this
story isn’t simply being retold; it is being
relived - and there are still lessons to be
learned.
After seeing the film, three observations
stood out for me. First, the 2012 killing of
Trayvon Martin reminds us of the 1955
murder of Emmitt Till as described in the
movie. Second, the recent extremist and
Supreme Court attacks on voting rights are
wake up calls as chilling as the 1960’s
Freedom Ride bus bombings depicted in the
film.
Lastly, growing income inequality and the
less-than-living-wages paid to millions of
African American and working class citizens
today recall the decades-long fight for equal
pay that was waged by black White House
butlers in the movie.
“The Butler” also has some interesting
insights into the ideological and generational
divide within African American families that
has sometimes caused rifts between fathers
and sons, as well as mothers and daughters,
who have different perspectives on the pace
and methods of civil rights activism.
The movie also explodes the myth of
mindless subservience often associated with
black maids and butlers by highlighting their
dignity, intelligence, and sometimes subver
sive contributions to African American
progress.
Young people today must not forget that
“everything they are and everything they
have” was made possible by the grandmoth
ers and grandfathers who came before them,
many of whom struggled to make a better life
for the next generation.
Finally, the admonition to “The Butler,”
Cecil Gaines, that “the room should feel
empty when you are in it,” reminds us of the
phenomenon of “double consciousness” —
the need to assume a dual identity - first
described by W.E.B. Du Bois that many
African Americans from all walks of life still
experience today.
“The Butler” delivers these and many
other important messages with an all-star
cast of African American actors, including
Forest W hitaker, Oprah Winfrey, Cuba
Gooding Jr., Lenny Kravitz, David Oyelo wo
and Terrence Howard.
The movie was inspired by the real life
story of Eugene Allen who retired as head
butler in 1986 and died in 2010 after serving
34 years in the White House.
Allen’s story was first told in a 2008
Washington Post article by Haygood Will in
which Allen and his wife, Helene, shared
their excitement over the chance to vote for
America’s first black President. Helene died
before the election. Allen lived to cast his vote
and attend the inauguration of President
Barack Obama.
Perhaps one of the most important les
sons for Hollywood, as the film ’s North
American total hit $ 100 million right out of
the gate with support from a multicultural
audience base, is that the African Ameri
can story is the American story - and that
never gets old.
Marc H. Morial is president and chief
executive officer of the National Urban
League.