Morgan Freeman: ‘Black History Month Is An Insult’ | Eastern NC Now

    Publisher's Note: This post appears here courtesy of the The Daily Wire. The author of this post is Amanda Harding.

    Academy Award-winning actor Morgan Freeman made his feelings about Black History Month clear during a recent interview.

    The 85-year-old Hollywood star made the comments as part of a profile published in The Sunday Times of London.

    "Two things I can say publicly that I do not like. Black History Month is an insult. You're going to relegate my history to a month?"

    Freeman went on to say, "Also 'African-American' is an insult. I don't subscribe to that title. Black people have had different titles all the way back to the n-word and I do not know how these things get such a grip, but everyone uses 'African-American.' What does it really mean?"

    The actor also told The Sunday Times that he is "very envious" of Denzel Washington's career, saying he is "in total agreement" with a statement Washington gave regarding race. Washington previously said, "I'm very proud to be black, but black is not all that I am." Freeman supported that sentiment, saying, "In total agreement. You can't define me that way."

    Freeman also said, "When I was growing up there was no 'me' in the movies. If there was a black man in a movie he was funny. Until Sidney Poitier came and gave young people like me the idea that, 'OK, yes, I can do that.'"

    He said the same is now true of other identity groups. "All people are involved now," the "Shawshank Redemption" actor continued. "Everyone. LGBTQ, Asians, black, white, interracial marriages, interracial relationships. All represented. You see them all on screen now and that is a huge jump."

    Freeman has a Hollywood career spanning five decades and has earned multiple accolades, including a Golden Globe, the AFI Life Achievement Award, the Cecil B. DeMille Award, and the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award.

    He's best known for appearing in several films, including "Million Dollar Baby" (2004), "Street Smart" (1987), "Driving Miss Daisy" (1989), "The Shawshank Redemption" (1994), and "Invictus" (2009). Freeman was nominated for an Oscar for each of those titles and won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for "Million Dollar Baby."