A friend of mine said that Lucille Ball spoke at his uncle's school once a long time a go and he says that Lucy did not like black people. If this is true, I will lose all respect for her. And I will never watch the show again.

That can't be true. Her maid Harriet McCain was one of her closest personal friends throughout her career and life. She had Flip Wilson on her show. She loved Sammy Davis, Jr. and Isabel Sanford. And another guy on The Lucy Show who taught her how to dance....I forget his name. If she didn't like black people, then I'm confused as to why she had so many on her shows with her and in her life. I've heard a story about Lucy being friends with someone's grandmother on another website, and she is black as well. I just don't get it!

That doesn't sound right. Her personal assistant for years, Harriet, was black and I'm pretty sure the children's nanny was black. I doubt she would have allowed those people in her home if she was racist.

I definitely know Desi wasn't because he grew up with several black people in Cuba and spoke fondly of them in his autobiography if I remember right.

I think it's kind of unfair for Lucy. She is no longer with us and cannot answer such an important question. In my heart :heart: I believe she wasn't racist.

I don't think that she was as prejudice as some have claimed, because she herself was involved in a interracial marriage. Although her husband was not black, he was from an ethnic group (Hispanic) which contains a large number of blacks, particularly in Cuba.

Of course, everyone knows that Desi Arnaz was a musician from Cuba, which has a heavy African musical influence. Anyone who studied music knows that Salsa music was created by Cubans of African descent. Therefore this culture was probably part of Desi Arnaz influence.

With this said, I do not think that she had hatred for blacks, but she lived at a time when most of America viewed people of African descent differently then they do now. But fortunately things have changed for the better.

Sammy Davis Jr. was a close personal friend of Lucy's (I doubt he would be friends with someone who felt like that)

Desi Arnaz was hispanic and Gary Morton was Jewish after all (being "racist" doesn't mean just hating African American...and before someone takes that comment the wrong way I am African American )

That Other Fan, while I will agree with your statement that racism is not only targeting people of African descent, I think you are mistaken when you include a Jewish person of European Ancestry in your argument.

Religious bigotry and racism are two different things, although they both involve hate.

Judaism is a religion and not a race, as some people seem to think, because there are black Jews, white Jews and Asian Jews all over the world. Just like there are Muslims and Christians of all races.

My point is that racism is descrimination based upon "race" (i.e. the color of one's skin). A person usually does not know a person's faith until talking with them, whereas a person's colour is seen immediately, and pre-judgements on that person is made without that person having a chance to show the content of his or her character. So, in my book there is a huge difference, and I disagree with anyone who tries to represent racism and religious bigotry as being the same, because they are obviously not.

I could never believe that she is racist not in a million years.

I do not believe that at all she was to good of a person, she was accused of being a communist and she was NOT! Just let her R.I.P. instead of starting all these accusations about who she was. For black people in the 50's there was aaaaaaallllloooooottt of prejudice but I don't believe Lucille would stand for such an evil thing.

I don't think she was because from what other people mentioned she had black friends so she couldn't have been a racist or else she wouldn't have been. So I think the person who told you that is very wrong.

JT why would Lucy go to a school and talk about something like that? its like, "Im Lucy Ball and i dont like black people, and im here to talk about it". i just dont see that realisticly happening.

Originally posted by Tiger32
That Other Fan, while I will agree with your statement that racism is not only targeting people of African descent, I think you are mistaken when you include a Jewish person of European Ancestry in your argument.

Religious bigotry and racism are two different things, although they both involve hate.

Judaism is a religion and not a race, as some people seem to think, because there are black Jews, white Jews and Asian Jews all over the world. Just like there are Muslims and Christians of all races.

My point is that racism is descrimination based upon "race" (i.e. the color of one's skin). A person usually does not know a person's faith until talking with them, whereas a person's colour is seen immediately, and pre-judgements on that person is made without that person having a chance to show the content of his or her character. So, in my book there is a huge difference, and I disagree with anyone who tries to represent racism and religious bigotry as being the same, because they are obviously not.



I agree

My comments were directed more toward this topic in particular. In the first post, the individual says a family member told him/her that Lucille Ball did not like Black people. My point was that racism/hate does not extend to just one minority group, and considering that Lucy did not discriminate in love or in friendships, racist was one of the things that Lucy wasn't.

I don't think she was racist she was probably one of the least racist people in the very much racist 1950's. How could someone be racist and also be married to someone who was not white and have children with that person.

I just remembered this little story. Early in their courtship, Lucy and Desi were on a little day vacation and they stopped at a restaurant. Desi went to the restroom to wash up or something and in the meantime, the waitress came. She asked Lucy if Desi was an Indian because they weren't supposed to sell booze to Indians. Lucy was appauled at her comment.

I don't know if that really has anything to do with this, but there you are.

In her autobiography, Lucy mentions that when she was living in NYC during her run on Broadway, she was living in an apartment house in which blacks were not allowed to ride the front elevator. She said, "I changed that rule in a hurry. Harriet and I were the first to integrate those $1,300-a-month apartments, I'm glad to say." I certainly doubt that she was a racist.

Originally posted by Ricardos4ever
In her autobiography, Lucy mentions that when she was living in NYC during her run on Broadway, she was living in an apartment house in which blacks were not allowed to ride the front elevator. She said, "I changed that rule in a hurry. Harriet and I were the first to integrate those $1,300-a-month apartments, I'm glad to say." I certainly doubt that she was a racist.

She really sounds like an civil rights activist.

you probably wish she was still around to fight for your rights ehh will and grace guy?

Originally posted by SoFl123
you probably wish she was still around to fight for your rights ehh will and grace guy?

Why of course? She seems like such a nice lady who really tried to help out her friends and who cared about everyone.

well im right behind you. its safer than being in front of you. lol

Originally posted by SoFl123
well im right behind you. its safer than being in front of you. lol

uhhhh ok...:rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Originally posted by That Other Fan


uhhhh ok...:rolleyes: :rolleyes:

I think he/she was joking. And not putting some bigoted remark on there.

I'm skeptical to believe that one. I think if she were, we would have heard more about it. I mean really, I think it's pretty difficult for a celebrity to hide being racist from the public.

Q What are your favorite shows?
"Golden Girls," "Cosby" and "Valerie." And if John Ritter was on, I'd be watching him. I also like a lot of things on PBS and documentaries. But I can't say that I go for too much of the action stuff.

Cosby, black show. I got this from a lucy interview. Lucy is not racist and im not only judging it by this interview.

Lucy was not racist. She had a huge heart for a ll people...she was very charitable. She adored Sammy Davis and Flip Wilson...she loved her maid Harriet and Willie Mae the in Living Nanny...If she hated African Ameicans she would have refused all out to work with them. In fact I read that back in the 60's when she was living in the apartment in NY while doing Wildcat, back when things were still segregated...she raised Hell because the Apartment owner was not going to let the Nanny go in the "white " entrance" Lucy spoke up and that building no longer became segregated. Lucy did not care for the show All in The Family because of all the Lued remarks about other people. I know there was a big stink made in theis class speech she gave where this black actress kept going on about herself and Lucy got so sick of it she told her to sit down shut up and let someone else speak up or get the hell out of the class. Lucy did not like stuck up people....she thought vanity was wrong....she was very modest about her fame. It had nothing to do with being racial.

I can imagine Vivian or Bill Frawley racist, but not Lucille Ball.

Originally posted by SoFl123
I can imagine Vivian or Bill Frawley racist, but not Lucille Ball.

I could also imagine Bill being racist but not Vivian. I just don't think she was that kind of person. I don't know anything for sure, that's just my personal opinion.

Originally posted by ILoveLucyfan4eva


I could also imagine Bill being racist but not Vivian. I just don't think she was that kind of person. I don't know anything for sure, that's just my personal opinion.

I agree I could see Bill as racist but not Vivian she just doesn't seem like the person who would think that way. Espeically being friends with Lucy.

Someone's wrong. I think maybe they just said that because they knew you loved Lucy.

It'd be pretty dumb for Lucy to be racist if you think about it. I mean, she married a minority. Not necessarily an African American, but a minority none the less.

If you hated black people, I'm pretty sure you would hate other minorities, too. Because 'racist' is for all races, not just African Americans. If you only hated the African Americans, I'd think you'd have a different name other than "racist."

Just my two cents.

~~Stephie