To Whom It May Concern:

I have a serious grievance that I want to offer a solution for: Black leads in your animated feature films have not gotten to remain human throughout their movies.

Before I share my suggestion, let me preface it by stating that I am a big fan of most things Disney. It has a very special place in my heart, and it has always been a big part of my life. However, there was a period of about 5 years when I boycotted your films on principle (Pixar included).

In 2003, it began to bother me that Disney didn't have a Black princess. In fact, I noticed that Disney didn't have any Black leads in their animated films that I could recall. That was a problem for me, so I decided I would not continue to support Disney films until the situation was rectified. Thankfully, I found out in 2008 that Disney was working on The Princess and the Frog. Although I love that film, I found it disappointing that Tiana was a frog for most of the movie.

Many Black Disney fans like me feel the same way—especially now that the trend has continued with Spies in Disguise and Pixar’s Soul. Of course, I excitedly anticipate the release of Tiana, Children of Blood and Bone, and Iwájú. This petition, however, is specifically about creating another animated feature film that centers around Black characters.

So, back to the initial problem: Black leads in Disney animated films have not gotten to remain human throughout their movies. Creating an animated adaptation of the children’s book Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters may be an ideal solution that I think the Walt Disney Animation Studios should consider. Here's why:

1.     It’s a story set in Africa that could feature Black Africans. Disney has set two (2) animated feature films from the Disney Renaissance in Africa, neither of which featured Black people on the screen in a central role. Adapting this story would fix that track record.

2.     It’s a formula that works. Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters follows the story of two very different sisters, who go on a life-changing journey that solidifies their bond. We’ve seen this premise work before, and I believe that it would hold up again.

3.     It’s on-brand for Disney. Values displayed in Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters strike the right note for a modern Disney film. One sister is kind and sweet, taking the time to look beyond the surface. The other sister is a little selfish, cunning, and mean, but she learns to be kinder and humbler in the end.

4.     It’s the first opportunity to have a definitively Black Disney prince. Black men and boys deserve significant representation in fairytales, and this would be an incredible opportunity to make that happen. Furthermore, an adaption of this story would also include the depiction of strong and loving father-daughter relationships.

5.     It’s innovative. Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters is a long‑beloved story written by a BIPOC in the style of an African folktale, which would be new source material for Disney.

I am confident that the Walt Disney Animation Studios could do a spectacular job adapting the story of Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters in a feature film. Moreover, it would be amazing to see this story brought to the big screen using Disney’s more contemporary 3D animation style.

However, if Disney chooses not to adapt this story, I would still strongly encourage the creative teams there to think of new methods for Black character development that do not rely on turning them into animals, objects, or spirits.

Thank you for your time and consideration. Have a magical day!