Atlanta season 4 is a favorite of many people for several reasons, and episode 8 is unique as it is a mockumentary and doesn’t feature the regular star cast of this series. The episode talks about the first black Disney CEO and the making of the blackest movie of all time.
It is said that Thomas Washington was appointed as the CEO of Disney by mistake as, initially, Tom Washington, who was a white man, had to be appointed as the CEO.
However, due to a misunderstanding, the board selected Thomas Washington, who was a black man and the CEO of Disney.
As per sources, the production confirmed that He was promoted to Disney’s CEO after considering several names. Thomas wanted to make the blackest movie of all time that would talk about aspects of American and African cultures.
In 1995, Thomas disappeared, and due to Disney’s influence, he changed the film’s ending. However, his wife thinks that Thomas’s tenure left a lasting impact, even if it was shorter.
We discussed some details of the show above; let’s understand if he was the real person and know more information about Thomas Washington.
Was Thomas Washington A Real Person?
Well! He is a mere character in the Atlanta episode in which you have seen him; Karen Joseph Adcock and Francesca Sloane created it. So, yes, he is not a real person, and in reality, Disney never had a black CEO. However, many people consider Disney to be a woke organization.
The episode is based in the early 90s when Micheal Eisner was appointed Disney’s CEO. They served the company as a CEO till 2005.
Who Is Floyd Norman?
Floyd Norman, who was Disney’s first African-American animator, is said to be the inspiration for Thomas Washington’s character. Norman also told NPR that he was protected from racism in Santa Barbara, California, where he grew up.
His childhood experience was better than that of many people in the region where he lived; it was like a Pacific paradise for him as he had access to every necessity, like good schools, concerts, and theaters.
When he applied for the animator job at Disney, he was unaware that race could be a reason for disadvantage. While talking to the outlet, he mentioned that people were having the perception that there are not enough jobs for people of a particular color, but it was true.
The reason was that black people were not applying much for jobs, and the perception was wrong.
As someone who works with people of different colors, he doesn’t feel strange working with anyone. Also, at the time when they were looking for a job, their color was not an issue for them, and it was like a group of young kids were looking for employment.
