Ishmael Reed’s ‘The Amanuensis’ Confronts ‘Song of the South’s’ Roots in Uncredited Black Folklore

Overview

• The Amanuensis is now running at Theater 33 in San Francisco under playwright Ishmael Reed.
• The production portrays Joel Chandler Harris taking Uncle Remus stories from enslaved people, with Br’er Rabbit and Sister Fox depicted as advocates for the originators.
• Coverage cites a reported $10,000 payment for story rights versus roughly $82 million in grosses for Disney’s 1946 film.
• Song of the South remains unavailable on Disney’s streaming services and for digital purchase as the company keeps its distance from the title.
• Reed says he enjoyed the film as a child but later recognized its demeaning portrayal of Black Americans, framing the play as a bid for moral and financial redress.