1. Star Wars IIV: The Force Awakens Racism
30 years after “Star Wars: Episode VI: The Return of the Jedi”, there is finally a
continuation of this saga with the creation of “Star Wars IIV: The Force Awakens”. Little is known
to what the plot of this film is actually about other than that it will be set 30 years after the
Battle of Endor, and the events that occurred in “Episode VI: The Return of the Jedi”.
But what is clearly known about this movie is that there are a significant amount of
people who were livid when the trailer was released for this film and featured John Boyega, a
black man, as a Stormtrooper. Which comes a surprise, but at the same time not so much as a
surprise considering the kind of world we live in. The only reason it comes as a surprise, is due to
the fact that black people have long been featured in Star Wars films before, and it was never
this controversial.
For instance, James Earl Jones, a black man, voiced Darth Vador, an extremely prominent
villain in “The Empire Strikes Back,” “Return of the Jedi” and“ Revenge of the Sith.” Then there
was Billy Dee Williams, a black man, who played in “The Empire Strikes Back,” and the “Return of
the Jedi” as Lando Calrissian. Also there was Femi Taylor, a black woman, in the “Return of the
Jedi” who played Jabba the Hutt’s dancer and prisoner Oola. Another black man in this saga was
Tony Cox, who played in “Return of the Jedi” as an anonymous Endor inhabitant. Ahmed Best, a
black man, who played Jar Jar Binks in “The Phantom’s Menance” and “Attack of the Clones”.
Lastly, there is Samuel L. Jackson, who played in “The Phantom Menace,” “Attack of the Clones”
and “Revenge of the Sith” as a Jedi named Mace Windu.
So clearly black people have a history in these films, so their presence now should not
cause such discomfort. Some of the racist comments that have been said about this film have
mainly been shared on Twitter under #BoycottStarWarsVII. By saying that that “the new Star
Wars movie promotes “white genocide” and was made “to demoralize and destroy Whites.” Also
that they are sick of muds being casted in white parts.
First of all, this film is only seen as demoralizing because he is not in the movie calling
anyone master and being featured as a slave, but rather has a prominent role in a very legendary
film. Why does race matter? Because we all make it matter. We entertain racism, and make it
exist. Because we constantly talk about it. The more we talk about it, the more of an issue it
becomes. Black and white people do not come from a different race like humans and “Wookies”
do. Black people are just darker than white people are, and if that is offensive to them then they
have the right to go to a tanning bed.
Who decided that the Stormtroopers in this film are white, were white, or had to be
white? If people are upset about this fact based on “Star Wars III: Attack of the Clones” when the
Stormtroopers identity was unveiled as a “white man”, then they are about to get a news flash.
When Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi travels to the planet of Kamino, where he discovers that there
is a clone army being created. Jango Fett, the bounty hunter who served as the genetic
prototype for the clone army, was a Mandalorian. Temuera Derek Morrison, was the actor who

2. played this character, and is from New Zealand and is from a partial Maori descent, which in turn
makes his skin tone not white, but in fact, culturally and ethically black. Maybe not as black as
some people are used to seeing, but none the less his skin is brown.
For a majority of the saga, the film makers kept the Stormtroopers masks on, so
apparently a black person is ok to have on film as long as we can’t see them? Speaking from a
fan standpoint, a very wise Jedi by the name of Yoda pointed out that, “Fear is the path to the
dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.” If you are a fan of
this film, and you haven’t taken these wise words to heart in every situation, then you have
completely missed the point of the Star Wars sagas.
John Boyega reaction to all of this is simply perfect and realistic by saying, “To whom it
may concern…Get used to it :).” I whole heartily agree, black people exist, get over it.