I was doing some internet meandering today about some classic animators and production studios and stumbled upon this really interesting short by the now defunct animation studio United Productions of America, or UPA. UPA is famous for being pioneers of cinematic realism in animation.
The short is entitled “The Brotherhood of Man”. It discusses the importance of racial tolerance and provides explanations fon racial diversity in the then modern era of 1946. It’s amazing to hear and see the ideals surrounding racial tolerance in America during that time period. In the light of today’s modern racial ideals, the concepts in the film range from absurdist to very near parallel to the contemporary climate.
The film is a yardstick for modern race relations. In some ways, it feels like society has made such progress, but in others, it feels like no progress has been made at all.
If you watch it, let me know what you think.