USC will Remove John Wayne Exhibit

USC to remove John Wayne's exhibit after student protests over racist comments the actor made decades ago.



USC’s School of Cinematic Arts will remove an exhibit dedicated to John Wayne after students called for its removal last year because of racist comments the late actor made in a 1971 Playboy magazine interview, the school announced Friday.

Citing a push to promote “anti-racist cultural values,” Evan Hughes, the assistant dean of diversity and inclusion, announced the change in a letter to the school’s community.

“Conversations about systemic racism in our cultural institutions along with the recent global, civil uprising by the Black Lives Matter Movement require that we consider the role our school can play as a change maker in promoting antiracist cultural values and experiences,” Hughes said in the statement. “Therefore, it has been decided that the Wayne Exhibit will be removed.”

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-07-10/usc-to-remove-john-wayne-exhibit-nearly-a-year-after-student-protests

Here is what Wayne said in the interview:



He was not denying them Equality Under the Law that is the American Way. He was saying they need to shape up behavior before having a seat at his table. 1971 Interview after the Race Riots of the mid to late 60's.

Now look where we are today where every black criminal street thug must be lifted up as a victim of white racism.

Going backward away from real equality and proper judgement character as MLK said in his speech. Wayne was defending his personal judgement of character. I wish he did not apply this with such a broad brush, but it is not the racist statement as claimed.