By: Ellen Cans
A University of Southern California (USC) exhibit of John Wayne will be removed, after student protests concerning the actor’s past racist comments. As reported by Variety, on Friday, the school announced that the exhibit ¸created in 2012, will be removed. “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,” said USC assistant dean of diversity and inclusion Evan Hughes. “Therefore, it has been decided that the Wayne Exhibit will be removed.” The material will be placed in the school’s library archives.
Wayne, famed for his roles in Western Movies, had attended USC on a football scholarship in the 1920s, rousing the school to dedicate an exhibit to him. Over recent years, however, his 1971 interview with Playboy Magazine has resurfaced leading to controversy. In the infamous interview the star had said he believed in white supremacy and had made derogatory comments about Black, Indigenous and LGBTQ+ people. In his interview with Playboy, Wayne, who died in 1979, said he did not “feel guilty about the fact that five or 10 generations ago, these people (Black people) were slaves”.
He also voiced his support of white supremacy. “I believe in white supremacy until the blacks are educated to a point of responsibility,” Wayne had said. “I don’t believe in giving authority and positions of leadership and judgment to irresponsible people.”
Wayne had also stated that he did not feel that it was wrong for white Americans to take land from Native Americans. “There were great numbers of people who needed new land, and the Indians were selfishly trying to keep it for themselves,” he had said.
The current Black Lives Matter protests have spurred a renewed outcry, and a final resolution by the school. Since last fall, students have been protesting and saying that the School of Cinematic Arts is supporting white supremacy by virtue of keeping the exhibit. In December, school officials had tried to appease protesters by expanding the exhibit to include Indigenous filmmakers as well as feminist and critical race theory, as per the Daily Trojan.
Wayne also had a namesake and statue in the Orange County airport, which was similarly contested of late. On June 26, The Democratic Party of Orange County passed an emergency resolution calling on the Orange County Board of Supervisors to remove Wayne’s likeness, due to his racist comments.
