What if the Original Disneyland was Segregated?

GlobalHumanism

Disclaimer: This isn't meant to start any animosity or conflict. Just a question popped into my head.

What sort've effect do you think that a segregated Disneyland (at the time of its original opening) would've had on the legacy of Walt and Disney as a brand?
I presume, much like Songs of the South, such history would've been swept under the rug once it became unfashionable to be racist.
I wonder though if the actual park itself would've had to be constructed in a vastly different way in order to accommodate a segregated set up?
Like would there be a "Minority Disneyland" and a "White Disneyland" with different characters and rides that "catered" to each ?
A "Separate but Equal" Disneyland?

Thoughts?
 

Deleted member 169412

GlobalHumanism said:
Disclaimer: This isn't meant to start any animosity or conflict. Just a question popped into my head.

What sort've effect do you think that a segregated Disneyland (at the time of its original opening) would've had on the legacy of Walt and Disney as a brand?
I presume, much like Songs of the South, such history would've been swept under the rug once it became unfashionable to be racist.
I wonder though if the actual park itself would've had to be constructed in a vastly different way in order to accommodate a segregated set up?
Like would there be a "Minority Disneyland" and a "White Disneyland" with different characters and rides that "catered" to each ?
A "Separate but Equal" Disneyland?

Thoughts?
Click to expand...
It's far more likely that Disneyland would have opened to black customers on some days of the week and white customers on others (which is what a lot of public attractions did if they catered to black customers at all) rather than anything else.
 

Deleted member 147978

It would be highly redundant for Disneyland to segregate European-descended Americans and African-descended Americans, notwithstanding the possible backlash from the media and civil rights organizations.
 
Clandango

Clandango

Parks cost money. That park in particular cost a lot of money and they had to work quick. Part of the foliage from the Jungle Cruise Ride was orange trees planted upside down. They put weeds and plants they had been pulling out around Tomorrow Land with plaques using the scientific names of the plants, so it would seem educational. Also, what would be done with the Aunt Jemima Pancake House? And will A Small World be- Well, I suppose they do separate everyone by continent, so never that. Still, I agree that they would go with the open day policy, but then you would have the issue of employees. Are you going to have whites serving black customers? Or will you have blacks serving whites? Also, I think Asians and others wouldn’t count as white. I know in the South they apparently told some Japanese-Americans during WWII that they shouldn’t use the Coloured restrooms, but I don’t know if that would carry over. Really, keeping one day for Blacks only seems like a money loser, and they are certainly not making a park for them. Might be you could try having it that Blacks are let in later during the day, and they are treated to fireworks or such,
 
Admiral Bloonbeard

Admiral Bloonbeard

GlobalHumanism said:
Disclaimer: This isn't meant to start any animosity or conflict. Just a question popped into my head.

What sort've effect do you think that a segregated Disneyland (at the time of its original opening) would've had on the legacy of Walt and Disney as a brand?
I presume, much like Songs of the South, such history would've been swept under the rug once it became unfashionable to be racist.
I wonder though if the actual park itself would've had to be constructed in a vastly different way in order to accommodate a segregated set up?
Like would there be a "Minority Disneyland" and a "White Disneyland" with different characters and rides that "catered" to each ?
A "Separate but Equal" Disneyland?

Thoughts?
Click to expand...
Absolutely not. California was very progressive in racial relations at the time. Californians won't tolerate it.
 

ejpsan

While Disneyland was not segregated for the customers all the upfront Cast Members were white until at least the mid 60's.
From the time Disneyland land first opened until sometime in the late 70's or early 80's practically everyone dressed nicely going there and that was how they kept people out who they didn't want in the park.
Just to show how old I am the first time I went to Disneyland in 1971 my sister, brother, and I wore our best non church clothes and the school group we went with was dressed similarly and while my memory may be playing tricks on me I didn't see any adults in shorts, jeans, or non collared shirts and basically every adult women wore nice dresses or slacks and blouses.
But back to the point while California wasn't the paradise of non racism as long it was kept under the surface in public places like ballparks and movie theaters blacks and whites mixed together with very few incidents and having Disneyland being segregated would have been too public to be acceptable.
 

YankeeCharlemagne

Admiral Bloonbeard said:
www.history.com

The Mendez Family Fought School Segregation 8 Years Before Brown v. Board of Ed | HISTORY

Mexican American families in California secured an early legal victory in the push against school segregation.
www.history.com www.history.com
Click to expand...
I don't see anything in there regarding the attitudes of regular Californians towards the idea of segregation. Simply that it was struck down in California specifically towards Mexicans just because it wasn't in law before hand and then Earl Warren decided to change the law entirely to end all segregation in California. These are only the attitudes of those at the top. I find it hard to believe, given the lack of relevant evidence in the article, that people who just a couple years before were putting up signs that said things like "No Dogs or Mexicans," is suddenly going to become racially progressive for the time because some judges and the governor said so.
 

Lalli

Such park would bring much of controversy quiet quickly. Probably the park would be de-segregated by 1970 if not even earlier. And this would taint Disney's reputation (Both Walt Disney and the company) quiet badly.
 

danielb1

Pre-World War II POD would be needed, or having Disney open Disney World at least half a decade earlier than OTL. By the mid-1950s, open segregation of public facilities would have been controversial outside of the South and some rural/small town areas (e.g. "sundown" towns in the Midwest/West).
 

David T

GlobalHumanism said:
Disclaimer: This isn't meant to start any animosity or conflict. Just a question popped into my head.

What sort've effect do you think that a segregated Disneyland (at the time of its original opening) would've had on the legacy of Walt and Disney as a brand?
I presume, much like Songs of the South, such history would've been swept under the rug once it became unfashionable to be racist.
I wonder though if the actual park itself would've had to be constructed in a vastly different way in order to accommodate a segregated set up?
Like would there be a "Minority Disneyland" and a "White Disneyland" with different characters and rides that "catered" to each ?
A "Separate but Equal" Disneyland?

Thoughts?
Click to expand...

This would have been flatly illegal under California law. California, like most non-southern states, had laws prohibiting discrimination in public accomodations long before the federal civilrights act of 1964.

"By 1872, the State had placed sanctions on innkeepers and carriers who practiced discrimination. In 1893 and in 1897, the legislature expanded those sanctions to include numerous other public accommodations, and in 1905 the basic legislation was codified. Sections 51 and 53 of the civil code spelled out the State's public policy with respect to discriminatory activities by business. These sections, in force until 1959 when an even more comprehensive law was passed, were as follows:

"All citizens within the jurisdiction of this State are entitled to the full and equal accommodations, advantages, facilities, and privileges of inns, restaurants, hotels, eating houses, places where ice cream or soft drinks of any kind are sold for consumption on the premises, barbershops, bathhouses, theaters, skating rinks, public conveyances, and all other places of public accommodation or amusement, subject only to the conditions and limitations established by law and applicable alike to all citizens.

"It is unlawful for any corporation, person, or association, or the proprietor, lessee, or the agents of either, of any opera house, theater, melodeon, museum, circus, caravan, race course, fair, or other place of public amusement or entertainment, to refuse admittance to any person over the age of 21 years, who presents a ticket of admission acquired by purchase, or who tenders the price thereof for such ticket, and who demands admission to such place. Any person under the influence of liquor, or who is guilty of boisterous conduct, or any person of lewd or immoral character, may be excluded from any such place of amusement."

books.google.com

Hearings

books.google.com
 
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