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Monday, June 30, 2008
Coca-Cola Sued for Copyright Infringement of Uncle Remus Stories

Posted by: lain // Category: Historic Preservation, Storytelling, Uncle Remus, Marketing Tricks, Good Questions, Historical Quagmires, Ridiculous Demands, Joel Chandler Harris // 10:32 am

From the mailroom–

In 1931 the widow of Joel Chandler Harris sued Coca-Cola for infringing upon the Brer Rabbit “copyright.”

Atlanta Journal Reports that Coca Cola Responds to Uncle Remus Lawsuit

Click the pictures for a better view.  Please pardon the cut-and-paste…the clippings came from someone’s scrapbook and weren’t easily scanned together.

Atlanta Journal Reports that Coca Cola Responds to Uncle Remus Lawsuit in 1931

Slow news day, maybe?

I wonder if Mrs. Harris was upset or short on cash.  Probably both, I suppose.

As you might expect, back in the day the success of the Brer Rabbit stories led many companies to to capitalize on the names “Uncle Remus” or “Brer Rabbit” or “Briar Patch.”

Often, the spirit of the branding was, well, not terribly respectful:

Uncle Remus Brand Syrup

Before someone sent me this news clipping, I hadn’t heard of the Coca-Cola lawsuit.

Does anyone out there have any Brer Rabbit - Uncle Remus - Coca-Cola memorabilia?

Comments: 4
 
Thursday, May 1, 2008
May Day at the Wren’s Nest and Photo Gallery

Posted by: lain // Category: West End, Atlanta, What Would JCH Do?, High School Hijinx, Historical Quagmires // 12:13 pm

Well, it looks like the Wren’s Nest is bringing back the May Day Festival. I know this because I read it in this morning’s paper.

After 25 Years, a May Day Revival

Also, because we’re helping organize it. Durr.

If you read the article, you’ll note that there was a May Day celebration here at the Wren’s Nest for over 70 years.

Our amphitheater was built in the 1920s for the celebration, and the walkway that leads up to it commemorates each May Queen from 1909 - 1983.

The Wren's Nest Amphitheatre Set Up for a Wedding

It was a very formal affair, and quite a big deal to the organizations in charge of the Wren’s Nest before our current non-profit board took over in 1984.

In fact, the May Day festival ended up eclipsing Joel Chandler Harris and the Brer Rabbit stories in terms of organizational priorities. From what I can gather, it was done under the guise of “what Joel Chandler Harris would have wanted.” I think it was more “what they wanted,” but oh well.

The same sort of excuse was used to justify segregation of the Wren’s Nest, and as we now know, that claim was absolutely false.

That said, the May Day festival was a pretty neat tradition. There would be a parade down Gordon Street (now R.D.A.), and it would culminate in our back yard.

We’ve got a scrapbook of pictures from each year, and I’ve included one from each decade below. Have fun!

May Day Flower Festival at the Wren's Nest - 1909 Mary Colcord

Mary Colcord was the first May Queen of the Flower Festival. Here she is in 1909.

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May Day Flower Festival at the Wren's Nest - 1915 Christine McEachern

Before Ludacris, I suppose this is how you dropped dem bows in Atlanta. Look at the size of those things!

Christine McEachern was the May Queen in 1915. She’s surrounded by: (standing, left to right) Mary Gresham, Julia Greene, Louise Nichols, Evelyn Jordan, Maude Foster, Dorothy Brogdon, and (seated) Kathryn Stoy and Margaret White.

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May Day Flower Festival at the Wren's Nest - 1927 Elizabeth Camp

Elizabeth Camp in 1927.

She’s surrounded by (standing, left to right) Sara Harrison, Madeline Wrigley, Beatrice Robinson, and Sara McCormack. Then, seated: Jane Spink, Charlotte Richards, Virginia Dillon, and Celeste Houston.

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May Day Flower Festival at the Wren's Nest - 1932 Betty O'Kelly

Betty O’Kelly was the May Queen in 1932.

Apparently you had to be escorted to the stage by a boy your same age who handed you the “Queen’s Scepter.” I met the guy who did the escorting in 1944, and he said that his lines were, “O Queen! Here is thy scepter!” because the year before the kid said, “Hey lady, here’s ya’ stick.”

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May Day Flower Festival at the Wren's Nest - 1948 Flower Festival

Probably 1948. These girls look like Rockettes in training or something. As you can see here–this was a pretty big deal, apparently.

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May Day Flower Festival at the Wren's Nest - 1949 Jane Brooke

Jane Brooke was Queen in 1949. I like the color of the flowers.

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May Day Flower Festival at the Wren's Nest - 1958 Judy Carlson

Some of the ones taken in the 50s and beyond were clearly not taken at the Wren’s Nest. This one is Judy Carlsen from 1958.

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May Day Flower Festival at the Wren's Nest - 1958 Judy Carlson's Commemorative Stone

Here’s Judy’s stone. All of them look like this with a couple changes in size and font, and each is in a different state of repair.

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May Day Flower Festival at the Wren's Nest - 1963 Kathy Wright

Here’s Kathryn LaRose Wright from 1963.

She’s with John Hunsinger, Paul Jenson, Missy Wright, Kitty Gundt, John Chapman, and Julie Hinton.

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May Day Flower Festival at the Wren's Nest - 1975 Eugenia Marie Conway

Eugenia Marie Conway from 1975. Flower children meet the Flower Festival.

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May Day Flower Festival at the Wren's Nest - 1983 Margaret Lyn Rhodes

Not the best picture quality, but Margaret Lynd Rhodes was the final May Queen, in 1983.

Comments: 8
 
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
The Black Addams Family

Posted by: lain // Category: Storytelling, Tar Baby, Good Questions, Historical Quagmires, This is awkward // 1:43 pm

A few months ago, the folks at Sketchworks Comedy asked us if they could use the Wren’s Nest to film a sketch that would play during their live show. We’re pretty cool, so of course we said yes.

The sketch was the Black Addams Family, and it’s just now online–


Given that I like what’s funny and that Joel Chandler Harris is an author whose work has sometimes been called stereotypical and racist, I found the premise of the Black Addams Family at the Wren’s Nest remarkably intriguing.

It’s also really well done. Compare it to the original version, and I think you’ll be impressed–


What made the Black Addams Family even more interesting was a bit of conversation I overheard between some of the cast members who were taking a break. They were talking about the Wren’s Nest–

“Isn’t this place racist or something?”

“I don’t know. I think they’ve got a bunch of tar babies running around.”

The Black Addams Family is a parody that relies on two things: (1) the creepy house that happens to be the home of Joel Chandler Harris and (2) racial stereotypes being funny.

Ironically, it was exactly this type of humor, often used in the 19th century by white writers, that Joel Chandler Harris sought to avoid.

Many writers who wrote stories involving blacks relied on stereotypes through overwrought dialect or blackface-like presentations. (The enormous difference between that and the Black Addams Family is that this time black folks are, of course, in on the jokes.)

Joel Chandler Harris, meanwhile, distanced himself from his peers by presenting a black protagonist, Uncle Remus, in a way that was respectful and meticulously faithful to African American folklore.

For example, when Uncle Remus tells the little boy the story of the great deluge and the little boy mentions Noah, Remus explains that Noah isn’t in the story. It’s significant that Remus doesn’t conform to the Noah’s Ark story accepted by white America–he gives legitimacy to his own, African American version of the story.

This kind of cultural equality was, suffice to say, somewhat rare in the southern United States during the 19th century.

One hundred years later, Harris is often confused with his peers who mostly relied on stereotypes for yuks, and his (along with Uncle Remus’) reputation has suffered.

It’s kinda complicated, but I think that there are three morals here–

  1. Go see Sketchworks in Decatur.
  2. Historically, Joel Chandler Harris hasn’t had great marketing.
  3. When you’re holding a bucket of KFC, a fake illegitimate child, and the afro pick for Cousin It’s hair, it may be the absolute best time to discuss racism. Or maybe it’s the worst. There’s not much in between.

I’m just sayin’.

Comments: 0
 
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Is Uncle Remus Racist?

Posted by: lain // Category: Song of the South, Uncle Remus, Good Questions, Historical Quagmires, This is awkward // 12:03 pm

I’d like to know what you think. Your gut reaction is important.

Uncle Remus from Song of the South

Feel free to leave a comment, and keep in mind, there’s no right or wrong answer here!

Just now I got off the phone with a girl scout leader not too far from here. Her girl scouts are a diverse group, racially speaking. She had wanted to bring the troop to the Wren’s Nest in the spring, but when she presented the idea to the parents of the girl scouts, she was met with dead silence.

“Uncle Remus has been banned in the United States because it is racist,” one woman said.

rabbit

Incidentally, the white mothers were the ones who had a problem with the kind of exposure the Wren’s Nest would give their children.

Previously:

Confusion of Joel Chandler Harris and Song of the South

New York Times: Rehabilitating Uncle Remus

Comments: 7
 
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Atlanta’s Joel Chandler Harris Streetcar in 1939

Posted by: lain // Category: Historic Preservation, Song of the South, Good Questions, Technological Advances, Historical Quagmires // 12:43 pm

Our neighbors at Westview Atlanta stumbled across this picture of a Joel Chandler Harris streetcar from 1939.

Joel Chandler Harris Railcar in Atlanta in 1939

With all the hullaballoo ’round these here parts about a new streetcar, isn’t it funny that Atlanta once had a fairly comprehensive system?

Many of the Marta bus routes follow the same path as the old streetcar lines. Every once in a while you can spot some old track where the pavement has run thin.

I guess it’s like they say–there’s nothing new under the sun. How fitting that this nearly-forgotten streetcar bears the name of Joel Chandler Harris. I’m glad that the legacy of each is being reconsidered.

Speaking of old streetcars and Joel Chandler Harris, has anyone watched Who Framed Roger Rabbit lately?

Who Framed Roger Rabbit?

Incidentally, not only is the film a direct descendant of Song of the South, but it’s also very much about the demolition of Los Angeles’ public streetcar system in the 1940s.

Maybe that’s a stretch and maybe it’s a little random, but maybe the film is next on my Netflix queue.

Even more of a stretch–the film was produced by Steven Spielberg, who is batting 1.000% in terms of being mentioned on our blog over the last two posts. I wonder if he knows anything about Br’er Rabbit.

Comments: 0
 
Monday, November 5, 2007
Zip-a-Dee-Do-Dah-Day

Posted by: lain // Category: Storytelling, Song of the South, Historical Quagmires // 12:12 pm

Looks like we’ve finally gotten our video issues sorted out. What better way to celebrate than with a clip from the ne’er-released-on-home-video film, Song of the South.


Folks call or come to the Wren’s Nest all the time wondering if we are indeed the Song of the South museum.

To these type questions and comments my stock response is this: “Have you heard of Pearl Harbor?” And of course they answer yes. Then, “Well what about Pearl Harbor starring Ben Affleck?” And then–”No, we do not sell the film.”

The degree of conflation of Song of the South (1946) and the Uncle Remus Tales (starting in 1876) is astonishing. With perhaps the exception of Gone With the Wind, the confusion between the source material and the film is unprecedented, in my humble opinion. No doubt this is because very few people have actually seen the film in the last 60 years.

Last weekend in San Francisco Amelia and I happened to eat at a diner that had Who Framed Roger Rabbit on the television.

The waiter behind the counter made it clear that he was a film enthusiast, and I mentioned that this film was a direct descendant of Song of the South, and he said, “Well yeah, but it’s just so terribly racist.”

It was unclear whether or not he’d actually seen the film, but this sort of confident dismissal happens all the time.

I’ve no shortage of opinions on the film, but today I’ll just leave you with some facts–

  • The Harris family sold Disney the rights to adapt the Harris versions of the Brer Rabbit stories for $10,000 in 1939.
  • Clarence Muse, a black actor and screenwriter, quit working on the film because of the screenplay’s treatment of black characters.
  • Song of the South debuted at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta on November 12, 1946.
  • Zip-a-Dee-Do-Dah won the Academy Award for Best Song in 1948.
  • James Baskett (Uncle Remus) was awarded an honorary Academy Award in 1948 for his portrayal of Uncle Remus.
  • James Baskett was the first live actor hired by Disney.
  • The film is not banned, it’s just not been made available; Disney has re-released the film in theaters in 1956, 1972, 1981, and 1986. Up until 2001, the film was available for purchase in various international markets.

Have you seen the film? What do you think?

Links for further exploration–

AJC Article on Song of the South and the Wren’s Nest

Song of the South fan page with extensive links

The Wren’s Nest Ramblers versions of the Brer Rabbit stories

Comments: 13
 
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Brock Clarke at Wordsmiths

Posted by: lain // Category: Storytelling, Events, Marketing Tricks, Birds of a feather, Historical Quagmires // 2:54 pm

Every other century or so, someone writes a book about house museums.

Luckily, this time around that person was Brock Clarke, author of An Arsonist’s Guide to Writers’ Homes in New England. He’s coming to Wordsmiths in Decatur, courtesy of that very bookstore, y’all’s truly, and Baby Got Books.

Housewarming: Brock Clarke Visits Wordsmiths

An Arsonist’s Guide to Writers’ Homes of New England is chilling, scorching, and devastatingly funny. Take it from me– I just finished it this morning. It’s as quick as it is literary*, and definitely a story worth your attention.

Look here for further proof: (praise) (first chapter) (blog).

But don’t get too excited! Neither run nor walk to your closest bookstore!  Instead, hang out with us at Wordsmiths on the 19th and buy your copy there.

* Literary, but in a good way. Promise.

Comments: 3
 
Thursday, September 20, 2007
New York Times, Beltline Follow Ups

Posted by: lain // Category: Atlanta, Uncle Remus, Historical Quagmires, Future: fact or fiction // 1:31 pm

Exterior of the Wren's Nest, Courtesy of the New York Times
  • The New York Times finally got with the program and ditched the Times Select service Tuesday. Good riddance! Previously pay-to-read archival material has been released.
WABE Reports on the Beltline
Comments: 0
 
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
West End Neighbors, Circa 1890

Posted by: lain // Category: West End, Good Questions, Historical Quagmires // 11:24 am

The actual Wren’s Nest house is a Queen Anne Victorian in the East Lake style.

Basically, that means it’s asymmetrical, has a wrap-around porch, and steals from a hodge-podge of other Victorian styles. At the time, we weren’t the only Queen Anne on the block.

George Bolles Home, West End 1890

Atlhistory.com has a great photo album of our neighbors circa 1890. If you tried to find this one, you’d be sitting right in the middle of I-20.

It’s funny to think that at some point, these type houses went out of style and were demolished. Seriously?! Look how crazy that one is!

Comments: 2
 
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
In the Year 2000

Posted by: lain // Category: Good Questions, Historical Quagmires, Future: fact or fiction // 11:14 am

Since we’re in the museum business, our job is mostly to preserve and interpret the past.

Sometimes I wonder just how accurate we are, and I often wonder about the reverse–how someone like Joel Chandler Harris would have imagined the future. Is our interpretation of his era just about as ludicrous as his interpretation of our era would be?

The Year 2000 Envisioned by France

This is a gallery of interpretations of the future from France circa 1910, thanks to the Bibliothèque nationale de France. I figure Joel Chandler Harris, who died in 1908, would have envisioned the future in the exact same way.

Either that, or the exact same way that Conan and Mr. T envision it.

Thanks, boingboing.

Comments: 0
 
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