American actor, director, and narrator, Morgan Freeman has branded Black History Month and the term, ‘African-American’ term an ‘insult’.
Freeman, 85, said that the annual event which is observed every February to celebrate the cultural achievement of black people has a negative connotation to him because it ‘relegates’ the entire of his heritage to a single set of four weeks.
He told The Sunday Times:
‘Two things I can say publicly that I do not like: Black History Month is an insult. You’re going to relegate my history to a month?’
He also went on to question the true definition of ‘African-American’, which has been used to describe black Americans since the 1700s.
He added:
‘Also “African-American” is an insult. I don’t subscribe to that title. Black people have had different titles all the way back to the n-word and I do not know how these things get such a grip, but everyone uses “African-American”.
‘What does it really mean? Most black people in this part of the world are mongrels. And you say Africa as if it’s a country when it’s a continent, like Europe.’
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Morgan Freeman was born on 1st June 1937, in Memphis, Tennessee, and began acting at an early age. Freeman served in the United States Air Force and worked as a dancer and a transcript clerk before pursuing his career in acting.
Freeman made his film debut in 1971 in the movie “Who Says I Can’t Ride a Rainbow!” and has since appeared in over 100 films. He is known for his roles in movies such as “Driving Miss Daisy,” “The Shawshank Redemption,” “Bruce Almighty,” and “Million Dollar Baby,” among others. Freeman has been nominated for and won many awards throughout his career, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award.
Aside from acting, Freeman has also worked as a narrator for numerous documentaries and has lent his voice to various animated movies. He has also directed several films and served as an executive producer for the movie “Invictus.”
Freeman has been a prominent figure in the entertainment industry for many years and has used his platform to advocate for various social and political causes. He has been recognized for his charitable work and received the National Medal of Arts and the Kennedy Center Honor.
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