Racism in Disney

They say you learn the most of your values and beliefs in the first few years of your life, whether it be growing up at home with your family or from your peers and teachers in school; hence the saying, "you can teach an old dog new tricks". And although racism isn't nearly as big an issue today as it used to be years ago, you will still find it in many places. The response I get from most people when I ask them why they have a prejudice against a certain race or ethnic group is, "I don't know, I just don't like them". I think this is because this is what they saw as a child. There was most likely racism in the household and young children grew up believing in all they were surrounded in and held true to their beliefs to this day.
One major reason behind all of these feelings though, could have been through watching Disney movies as a child. It caught me off guard, the first time I heard this. But after looking into it further, I find it to be true.
One of the most popular examples is the movie Dumbo, a story about a young elephant with ears big enough that it gives him the ability to fly. The opening scene in the movie begins with a group of faceless African American men all performing labor work in the rain while singing "we work all say, we work all night, we never learned to read or write, we're happy hearted rounsabouts", a roustabout being a laborer, typically performing temporary, unskilled work.
Another example from this movie happens in a scene with a black grow, the only two scenes in the entire movie where the color of the character is black. His name though, being Jim Crow, is the worst of it. To most of us, Jim Crow means nothing. But after I looked into it, I came to find that the Jim Crow Laws are the segregation laws used in the Unites States separating "blacks" from "whites".
But there are more movies than Dumbo and more racism other than that of African American people that you will find in Disney movies. Another example is from The Lady and the Tramp.
I'm sure we all remember the Siamese cats, given Asian-like features like slanted eyes and thick accents. After we see the way the cats behave, it gives off the impression that Asians are cunning and manipulative.
Also, take the main character in the movie Oliver and Company. Alonzo is a Chihuahua given a very thick Latino accent. Throughout the movie, it gives off the impression that Latino's are nothing but troublemakers.
And as for Tarzan, the movie is said to take place in Africa but you will not find a single dark skinned person in the entire film.
Even movies like The Jungle Book and The Lion King have scenes where racism can be found.
Some of Walt Disney's stories date as far back as the 30's and only now are we really beginning to see a change in the way he writes. The Princess and the Frog, which opened last December, marks the first time the hero in one of his films is an African American. It's taken a long time, but it seems Walt is finally coming through.