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West Side Story and Whiteness
Watching the big Hollywood musicals as a child with my family was always my happy place. We were a musical family and as the years passed, I learned the lyrics and sang them along with my mom and the characters on TV. West Side Story was no different. I dimly remember talk about Natalie Wood, the original Maria, being White, but it didn't really make sense to me, she was pretty and she could sing.
Now, it makes even less sense to me. I wonder, not why Natalie Wood, a woman born to two Russian Immigrants, was playing the role of a Puerto Rican instead of a Puerto Rican or at least Latinx actress; I wonder why she was considered White.
What is it that defines Whiteness? Albino Black people are white. Jewish people are white. And yet, they are not considered White, even though they lack melanin. And what about eastern and southern European immigrants? They were still considered immigrants into the mid 20th century, at least for a couple of generations.
What do we mean when we say White? And how did white get to be White? Why don't we say European American or German American or British American like we say Asian American, Mexican American or African American? Until we look at the origin of Whiteness we will continue to lack context for impact-making conversations and actions surrounding culture and identity. To get you started, here is an article from the Smithsonian with corresponding questions you can ask yourself.
Is Whiteness centered in your classroom? How will you know? Who is included, who is excluded and who is in charge of the including and excluding? Let's be intentional about examining whiteness as the default setting and how the concept originated. Finding Your Blind Spots is a good resource, as is this article from SAIC's John M. Flaxman Library. Once we deconstruct what whiteness is, we can look at our other commonly held beliefs about identity, culture and gender so that we can reach and teach each one of our students better. That's what we're all here for, isn't it?
Visit Hedreich.com for more resources.
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By Hedreich Nichols
5
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Watching the big Hollywood musicals as a child with my family was always my happy place. We were a musical family and as the years passed, I learned the lyrics and sang them along with my mom and the characters on TV. West Side Story was no different. I dimly remember talk about Natalie Wood, the original Maria, being White, but it didn't really make sense to me, she was pretty and she could sing.
Now, it makes even less sense to me. I wonder, not why Natalie Wood, a woman born to two Russian Immigrants, was playing the role of a Puerto Rican instead of a Puerto Rican or at least Latinx actress; I wonder why she was considered White.
What is it that defines Whiteness? Albino Black people are white. Jewish people are white. And yet, they are not considered White, even though they lack melanin. And what about eastern and southern European immigrants? They were still considered immigrants into the mid 20th century, at least for a couple of generations.
What do we mean when we say White? And how did white get to be White? Why don't we say European American or German American or British American like we say Asian American, Mexican American or African American? Until we look at the origin of Whiteness we will continue to lack context for impact-making conversations and actions surrounding culture and identity. To get you started, here is an article from the Smithsonian with corresponding questions you can ask yourself.
Is Whiteness centered in your classroom? How will you know? Who is included, who is excluded and who is in charge of the including and excluding? Let's be intentional about examining whiteness as the default setting and how the concept originated. Finding Your Blind Spots is a good resource, as is this article from SAIC's John M. Flaxman Library. Once we deconstruct what whiteness is, we can look at our other commonly held beliefs about identity, culture and gender so that we can reach and teach each one of our students better. That's what we're all here for, isn't it?
Visit Hedreich.com for more resources.