The Complex History of Latinos in Hollywood

Early Stereotypes and the "Greaser" (1908)

D.W. Griffith, before his controversial film “Birth of a Nation,” established enduring Mexican character archetypes. These included the reprobate father, the saintly mother, and the wayward son. The most damaging was the “greaser” stereotype, often portrayed by white actors in darkened skin, depicted as thieves, rapists, or doomed individuals inherently incapable of redemption due to their Mexican heritage. Griffith's 1908 film “The Greaser’s Gauntlet” was the first to use the slur in its title.

The Rise of the Latin Lover (1921)

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