''Whitewash'' is a 1994
television special
A television special (often TV special, or rarely television spectacular) is a standalone television show which may also temporarily interrupt episodic programming normally scheduled for a given time slot. Some specials provide a full range of ent ...
and
animated short film
Animation is a method by which still figures are manipulated to appear as moving images. In traditional animation, images are drawn or painted by hand on transparent celluloid sheets to be photographed and exhibited on film. Today, most anim ...
that was based on a true story.
The program was produced and directed by
Michael Sporn
Michael Sporn (April 23, 1946 – January 19, 2014) was an American animator who founded his New York City-based company, Michael Sporn Animation
in 1980, and produced and directed numerous animated TV specials and short spots.
Sporn was nominat ...
with a screenplay by
Ntozake Shange
Ntozake Shange ( ;
FilmReference.com. Retrieved October 27, 2018.
.
Ruby Dee and
Linda Lavin
Linda Lavin (born October 15, 1937) is an American actress and singer. She is known for playing the title character in the sitcom ''Alice'' and for her stage performances, both on and off-Broadway.
After acting as a child, Lavin joined the C ...
provide voices for the animated characters.
Plot
The family special, based on a true story, uses
animation to tell the story of a little
African-American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ensl ...
girl's encounter with mindless
racism
Racism is the belief that groups of humans possess different behavioral traits corresponding to inherited attributes and can be divided based on the superiority of one race over another. It may also mean prejudice, discrimination, or antagonis ...
. On their way home from school, Helene and her brother are attacked by a group of white thugs who beat him up and
spray-paint
Spray painting is a painting technique in which a device sprays coating material (paint, ink, varnish, etc.) through the air onto a surface. The most common types employ compressed gas—usually air—to atomize and direct the paint particles.
...
her face white. Why would anyone do this? With her wise grandmother's help, Helene is able to get over her hurt.
References
External links
*
Ntozake Shange Papers, 1966-2016; Barnard Archives and Special Collections, Barnard Library, Barnard College
Animated television specials
1994 films
1994 television specials
American television films
Films about racism
Films set in the Bronx
American animated short films
First Run Features films
1990s American films
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