Segregation In Show Boat

The pressure Oscar Hammerstein II has to face is conceivable when writing the first interracial film. Segregation is still a factor during 1936, therefore, a interracial film is considered a risky step to take. The film commences with the presentation of the ShowBoat, large crowds are gathered and seek the arrival of the boat. Marching bands are prepared to play a song in its honor and reporters are eagerly trying to know more of the project. Shortly the audience is presented to Joe, Queenie, Magnolia and Gaylord. Show Boat is the first mixed-race-cast musical in which African American performers play three dimensional, sympathetic characters.
Segregation is seen as an easy way to keep citizens safe because the whites see the colored individuals as a threat. Even though the thought of segregation slowly begins to diminish, racial discrimination still continues to take place during the 1930’s. The Great Depression causes hard times for families
especially those of color. African Americans are fired from their jobs and are expected to work twice as hard in order to make money. Everyone is aware that America has entered into a crisis and “the Works Project Administration (WPA),[decided to create] a permanent jobs program that employed 8.5 million people from 1935 to 1943” (History.com). The WPA is created to help citizens and with that they are feeding families and constructing building in order to create jobs for those who are unemployed.

Joe, an African American worker (played by actor Paul Robinson), introduces himself to the film as he bursted into the popular song “O’l Man River’s” in ShowBoat.
The scene takes place by the docks, while Joe has flashbacks of all the tiresome work he has to do. As Joe is singing, his facial expressions show extreme fatigue. The lyrics, “Tired of livin’ but scared of dying” from the song, “O’l Man River’s”, are applicable to all the colored workers who eventually join Joe and sing shoulder to shoulder on how tired they are of working and not having a bit freedom. The song remains steady and mentions the Mississippi River and its strong waters as a way of representing the difference between societal differences. The song is a brief representation of slavery and the struggles and injustice that has to be faced by the colored race. A little change in a human and they are to be ashamed, being of mixed race counts as being colored and are to be forbidden from all white
rights.
Julie is an actress and singer, (played by Helen Morgan), who represents the struggle of trying to live a regular life but seems to be impossible because she is from a mixed-race family although she is considered white based on her appearance she has “negro blood” instantly making her an african American. Julie brings both colored and white families with the song, “Can’t Help Lovin’ That Man”, in ShowBoat. The song is initially sung by colored folks, the reason being why an African American cook (played by Hattie McDaniel) whos named Queenie, looks at Julie with amazement as she hears the song and states that it is strange for a white individual to sing it. Julie teaches Magnolia the value of people and how the color of skin does not reflect the personality of an individual. Magnolia, a pianist (played by Irene Dunne), stands up for her colored friends and betrays her mother's rules of keeping her distance from them. The relationship between Magnolia and Julie is built solely on likeness, race never conflicts their friendship.
Queenie is wife to Joe and is constantly complaining about him because he does “nothing”. As Joe is sitting down in the kitchen, during a storm peeling peas, Queenie walks in and begins to ranting on how useless he is. Joe gives Queenie a simple response, “ I could do a lot of things if it is necessary”. With that said it can be assumed that Joe does not agree with those of white skin. He believes that most of what the whites are doing is not necessary and are making their life difficult without it having to be. Thinking of Joes song “O’l Man River’s”, and what is truly necessary, the use of racial discrimination is seen as a factor that provokes anger in those who are being discriminated and those who are discriminating. ShowBoat gains its popularity based on its uniqueness and ability to bring together two races. As a first mixed-race film, big success and change was brought to the actors, little will they know that two years later the Great Depression will come to its end.