Morgan Freeman says Black History Month is an "insult."
The 85-year-old actor explained that the annual event - which is observed every February and observes the cultural achievement of black people - has a negative connotation to him because it "relegates" the entire of his heritage to a single set of four weeks.
He told The Sunday Times: "Two things I can say publicly that I do not like: Black History Month is an insult. You’re going to relegate my history to a month?"
The 'Bruce Almighty' star went on to claim that the term African-American - which has been used to describe black Americans since the 1700s - is also an "insult" as he questioned its true definition.
He added: "Also ‘African-American’ is an insult. I don’t subscribe to that title. Black people have had different titles all the way back to the n-word and I do not know how these things get such a grip, but everyone uses ‘African-American’. What does it really mean? Most black people in this part of the world are mongrels. And you say Africa as if it’s a country when it’s a continent, like Europe."
Meanwhile, the Academy Award-winning actor went on to star went on to reflect that during his decades-long career, the biggest "change" has been the inclusivity factor, as he noted that performers of all races and sexualities are now accepted in the industry.
He added: "The change is that all people are involved now. Everyone. LGBTQ, Asians, black, white, interracial marriages, interracial relationships. All represented. You see them all on screen now and that is a huge jump
