John Lewis Introducing 'Green Book' at the Oscars Sparked Outrage on Twitter
Despite getting "pretty much everything about racism in America totally wrong," Green Book won Best Picture at the 2019 Oscars tonight. And to introduce a white savior road trip movie-one awash in controversy throughout this awards season-the Academy trotted out Civil Rights icon, Senator John Lewis.
“I can bear witness that the portrait painted of that time and place in our history is very real,” Lewis said in his introduction. “It’s seared in my memory, black men and women, our brothers and sisters, treated as second class citizens, threatened for raising their families or earning a living, beaten and sometimes killed for the crime of trying to live a life with dignity. Our nation bears the scars of that time, as do I.”
His words are powerful and painful, though Twitter was outraged that what he stands for was not actually reflected in Green Book.
Related Video: Michelle Yeoh, John Lewis Talk Oscars Inclusion
Propagating the white savior narrative: a low moment for John Lewis at the #oscars Donald Trump would have been a better peddler of Green Book's saccharine propaganda. pic.twitter.com/UMdpTNJYI1
- Raquel Cepeda (@RaquelCepeda) February 25, 2019
Making John Lewis introduce Green Book is a hate crime.
- Shantira Jackson (@tira_son) February 25, 2019
John Lewis is introducing Green Book, which would only make sense if the movie paid homage to the Negro Motorist Green Book. Whose idea was this? pic.twitter.com/Zd9ETTbaAT
- Evette Dionne 🤷🏾♀️ (@freeblackgirl) February 25, 2019
They really brought out John Lewis to introduce Green Book, which wasn't about civil rights, or the Negro Green Book, at all. #Oscarspic.twitter.com/F1xeCobqkV
- Britni Danielle (@BritniDWrites) February 25, 2019
John Lewis announces the ahistorical white savior telling of Green Book... #oscarspic.twitter.com/UoZM3Dzj7G
- George M Johnson (@IamGMJohnson) February 25, 2019
They really made JOHN LEWIS come up here with all his legitimate history and gravitas and introduce GREEN BOOK. Isn't this against the Civil Rights Act?
- R. Eric Thomas (@oureric) February 25, 2019
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