Morgan Freeman Criticizes Black History Month, Slams the Term African-American: ‘It’s an Insult’

Morgan Freeman, 85, is working on promoting his new film “A Good Person”, directed and written by actor and director Zach Braff and in an interview with the British newspaper “The Sunday Times”, the actor harshly criticized the use of the term “African American” and “Black History Month”, celebrated in the United States in February. “Black History Month is an insult. Are you going to relegate my history to a month?”, asked the actor.

Freeman added that he doesn’t like the term African-American either: “I don’t subscribe to that title. Black people have had different titles since then and I don’t know how these things catch on so much, but everybody uses ‘African-American.’ What does that really mean? Most black people in this part of the world are mixed race. And you say Africa like it’s a country when it’s a continent, like Europe. ‘African American’ is another insult.”

To the publication, he reinforced the speech that Denzel Washington gave in a recent interview about the pride of being black. “I’m very proud, but being black is not all I am,” said the actor from the “The Equalizer” franchise. “That’s exactly it. I totally agree with [com Washington]. You can’t define me this way “, completed Morgan Freeman who still said he was living a phase of his career in which he doesn’t play so many different roles.

“When my career started in film, I wanted to be a chameleon. I remember [Robert] De Niro early on playing very different roles, almost unrecognizable as the same actor. I had opportunities like that. But as you mature in this business, eventually you become a star.” You play a lot of the same type of role. People hire you and say, ‘You’re the one I want.’ And you live with it.”