I had a thought about Black History Month and zombie fiction. Books and movies about the undead are horrific escapism but serve as social commentaries reflecting the times in which they are created. If you want to find groundbreaking actors and characters of all colors look in the fictional fights against the undead.
George Romero’s classic Night of the Living Dead filmed in stark black and white arrived in 1968 and reflected the horrors of the Vietnam war and racial unrest in the United States. Romero made an African-American man the hero of his film. Duane Jones played Ben, one of five people trapped in a farmhouse as the undead rise and attack. This was 1968. A black man portrayed as the hero and doing such things as slapping a white woman to keep her calm could have been controversial for the time. Jones gave a compelling and commanding performance and Romero has said was the best actor for the role.
In Romero’s 1977 sequel Ken Foree played one of the leads in the original Dawn of the Dead. Foree’s character was a SWAT team member who joins a group of survivors trapped in a mall. In 1985 Romero cast Terry Alexander as one of the leads in his third zombie film, Day of the Dead. Romero created three strong lead characters played by the best possible actors.
Strong African-American characters are part of the diverse ensemble (which include racist rednecks) in Robert Kirkman’s The Walking Dead comic book series and now hit television series. Fan favorites Michonne and Tyreese from the comic books joined the television series this season. Danai Gurira plays Michonne, who kills zombies with a katana sword and is coping with a tragic past that will hopefully be explored on the series. Tyreese is a devoted father, incredible fighter and inspirational leader. Chad Coleman recently joined the series as Tyreese.
I love zombie stories because they scare the hell out of you. Sometimes what’s really frightening is what humanity can do to each other in extreme situations. From Duane Jones breakthrough performance in Night of the Living Dead to Michonne and Tyreese fighting zombies and their personal demons in The Walking Dead we can see great African-American role and actors. Maybe more important we can learn that we need each other, how we must work together, and we’re all human – it shouldn’t take a zombie apocalypse to show us.
By Editor
Earlier this month I shared my thoughts on Black History Month and superheroes if you’d like to check it out.