Song of the South was produced by Walt Disney in 1946 as a live-action/animated musical based on African-American folktales compiled by Joel Chandler Harris in 1881 in the book Uncle Remus, His Songs and His Sayings: The Folk-Lore of the Old Plantation.
The story follows a 7-year-old boy as he visits his grandmother’s southern plantation during the Reconstruction Era. Befriending a worker named Uncle Remus, the boy hears about the adventures of Br’er Rabbit, Br’er Fox, and Br’er Bear.
The Song of the South has received significant criticism for being insensitive in its portrayal of idyllic life on the plantation and offensive for its use of black stereotypes and vernacular
The song Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah won the 1947 Academy Award for Best Song and James Baskett received an Honorary Academy Award for his performance as Uncle Remus.