The Help

[firecat]

I haven't seen the movie or read the book The Help but I've seen a lot of people talking about how it's not an accurate description of the time period and place it depicts or of the relationships between white families and black domestic workers in the 1960s US South. Here are a couple of articles discussing the subject.

• "An Open Statement to the Fans of The Help" by the Association of Black Women Historians (ABWH). Includes a reading list.
• "I Was 'The Help'" by Helena (depicts the author's experiences as a personal assistant to a wealthy woman in 2004)

Comments

[dr-brat.livejournal.com]

I'm reading the book right now and I get the feeling that the authors of the statements you link to above have perhaps not read it. The 68-year-old African American woman sitting in the room with me had the same impression. She really liked the book. I can't comment on the movie.

[firecat]

Thanks, I'm glad to know that.

[cakmpls.livejournal.com]

Thanks for that comment. I have been searching IN VAIN for responses from people who were actually around during the depicted time period (let's say, born 1950 or before).

[mjlayman.livejournal.com]

I think they need to be in that area, too. I was born in Seattle in 1955 and we didn't really have anything like that.