List of Magical Negro occurrences in fiction
The Magical Negro is a supporting stock character in fiction who, by means of special insight or powers often of a supernatural or quasi-mystical nature, helps the white protagonist get out of trouble. African-American filmmaker Spike Lee coined the term, deriding the archetype of the "super-duper magical negro" in 2001 while discussing films with students at Washington State University and at Yale University. The Magical Negro is a subset of the more generic numinous Negro, a term coined by Richard Brookhiser in the National Review. The latter term refers to saintly, respected, or heroic black protagonists or mentors. The following list presents examples of the archetype that have been proposed or discussed. Film and television 1980s and earlier Uncle Remus (James Baskett) in Song of the South (1946) Homer Smith (Sidney Poitier) in Lilies of the Field (1963) Super Soul (Cleavon Little) in Vanishing Point (1971) Grover Muldoon (Richard Pryor) in Silver Streak (1976) Big Jim Slade (Manny Perry) in The Kentucky Fried Movie (1977) Snoe (Clarence Muse) in The Black Stallion (1979) Dick Hallorann (Scatman Crothers) in The Shining (1980) Mr. Bloom (Scatman Crothers) in Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983) Guinan in Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987-1994) 1990s