For the first time in Walt Disney animation history, their feature length film stars a Black princess character. 

The Princess and the Frog, which does not open nationwide until December, unfolds against a raucous backdrop of voodoo and jazz in 1920s New Orleans. Tiana, a waitress and budding chef who dreams of owning a restaurant, is persuaded to kiss a frog who is really a prince.When the spell backfires, she transforms into the amphibious creature. Flanked by a Cajun firefly and a folksy alligator, they search for a cure.

The film is directed by Ron Clements and John Musker, two of the men behind The Little Mermaid. And, Princess Tiana is voiced by Tony-award winning actress Anika Noni Rose (Dreamgirls).

However, to the dismay of Disney executives and several African-American activist, the film is not receiving as much adulation as one would thing. Some have asked, is The Princess and the Frog about to vaporize stereotypes or promote them?

“Because of Disney’s history of stereotyping, people are really excited to see how Disney will handle her language, her culture, her physical attributes,” said Michael D. Baran, a cognitive psychologist and anthropologist who teaches at Harvard University.

*Source: The New York Times