James Baskett

Then came the people who broke barriers.

James Baskett, best known as Uncle Remus in Disney's Song of the South, became the first African American to receive an Academy Award, an honorary Oscar, in 1948.

The film itself has been long criticized for its romanticized portrayal of plantation life, and the accounts say Beckett didn't attend its 1946 premiere in segregated Atlanta, though exactly why is still debated.

He was honored by Hollywood for a role in a film he may have been welcomed to see premiere.

It's...

There's just kind of not a lot happening there, which I'm gonna use to, uh, dovetail us into acting and voice acting, and I have a fun facts about, uh, James Baskett in particular, who, uh, plays Uncle Remus, and also, if you didn't realize, voices Br'er Fox.

In February 1941, Disney talked with actor Paul Robeson about him playing Uncle Remus, and the two remained in talks about the project for several years, but ultimately he was not cast.

It is speculated that Robeson's politics made him too controversial for the role.

I didn't research exactly what his politics were, but not as conservative as this film is, most likely.

James Baskett was cast as Uncle Remus after responding to an ad for providing the voice of a talking butterfly.

Baskett is quoted as saying, "I thought that maybe they'd try me out to furnish the voice for one of Uncle Remus' animals." Upon review of his voice, Disney wanted to meet Baskett personally, and had him tested for the role of Uncle Remus.

In addition to the role of Uncle Remus, Baskett also received the voice roles of the butterfly and Br'er Fox.