Why did Sisko's skin colour matter in Benny Russell's story

[Ethros]

It's been a while since I watched Far Beyond The Stars so I may be misremembering a few details, but I was just thinking about it today. What did Benny Russell actually write that meant he had to change the colour of Sisko's skin?
Now I do get why it mattered to Benny Russell and what he wanted to write, but I'm talking about the story.


Obviously in the episode he's basically writing Star Trek, he's writing Deep Space 9. A story about a space station, it's captain/commander who is a widow, has a son, his crew, their adventures etc. My point is if he's really writing Star Trek where does the colour of a human's skin make any difference whatsoever?


In real life, the character of Ben Sisko, the lead for the show, wasn't always intended to be played by an African American actor. I remember interviews with Rick Berman and Michael Pillar saying they were looking at all sorts of actors from all sorts of backgrounds. Indeed, even Yaphet Kotto was one of the front runners for the lead of TNG back when.

I just don't understand what different a human's skin colour makes to a character in Star Trek. When you think of Geordi La Forge I think that the character was the Chief Engineer of the Enterprise (originally the navigator) and most prominently he's blind. The fact that Levar Burton is black is irrelevant really. Same for Michael Dorn, he played a Klingon. Tim Russ was a Vulcan. Alexander Siddig was the doctor on DS9. The fact they were all "non-white" actors isn't something I really think about tbh.


I'm not knocking the episode btw it's excellent, I was just idly thinking if Russell was really writing Star Trek why did have to specify in prose that Sisko was a black guy. I can't say I've read JM Dillard's novelisation of Emissary, but does that point out for the sake of it that Sisko is black?


I guess it was necessary for the episode's plot/story, I just wonder if it's a slight flaw in the concept. I could understand if it were a comic book. But if you're writing prose, especially Trek, a character's skin colour isn't something you necessarily specify.

And example I thought of was the recent Harry Potter play, were Hermoine (Emma Watson in the movies) was played by a black actress. And JK Rowling was fine with it essentially saying yeah there's nothing in the books that says she's can't be; it doesn't matter to the story whatsoever.
Thoughts?

 

[marsh8472]

As I recall Benny was pressured to not make Sicko black because the publisher did not believe the story would sell.

 

[Noname Given]

As I recall Benny was pressured to not make Sicko black because the publisher did not believe the story would sell.

^^^^
To the OP - remember that the episode took place in the 1950ies. If you want to know why, you need to read some history regarding the 1950ies U.S. - where legal segregation existed and matters of race and other social issues were both larger political and marketplace driving issues.

 

[Romulan_spy]

Benny Russel was living in the 50s where there was segregation and open racism. Back then, the idea of the hero of a story being black would not have been accepted well which is why the publisher urges Benny to change it.

 

[Ethros]

Read the post guys. As I said in my post, I am well aware of the relevance of the time, and why Benny Russell felt the way he felt, and why it mattered to him, etc etc

Again as I said, I'm only talking about in the context of the story/novella Benny Russell had written.
Star Trek is colourblind. I was just wondering why in the story (the story within in the story, I don't mean as in "the episode") why an author writing about a 24th century space captain in a colourblind society, would need to specify skin colour.

 

[marsh8472]

Read the post guys. As I said in my post, I am well aware of the relevance of the time, and why Benny Russell felt the way he felt, and why it mattered to him, etc etc

Again as I said, I'm only talking about in the context of the story/novella Benny Russell had written.
Star Trek is colourblind. I was just wondering why in the story (the story within in the story, I don't mean as in "the episode") why an author writing about a 24th century space captain in a colourblind society, would need to specify skin colour.

In the episode Benny needed to write a story that would sell. The publisher did not like the idea of a black captain

HERBERT: Douglas, you're not going to stand there and tell us you don't like this story.
PABST: Oh, I like it all right. It's good. It's very good. But you know I can't print it.
BENNY: Why not?
PABST: Oh, come on, Benny. Your hero's a Negro captain. The head of a space station, for Christ's sake.
BENNY: What's wrong with that?
PABST: People won't accept it. It's not believable.
HERBERT: And men from Mars are?
PABST: Stay out of this, Herb. Look, Benny, I'm a magazine editor, I am not a crusader. I am not here to change the world, I'm here to put out a magazine. Now, that's my job. That means I have to answer to the publisher, the national distributors, the wholesalers and none of them are going to want to put this story on the newsstand. For all we know, it could cause a race riot.
HERBERT: Congratulations, Douglas. That's the most imbecilic attempt to rationalise personal cowardice that I've ever heard.

 

[Spot261]

Read the post guys. As I said in my post, I am well aware of the relevance of the time, and why Benny Russell felt the way he felt, and why it mattered to him, etc etc

Again as I said, I'm only talking about in the context of the story/novella Benny Russell had written.
Star Trek is colourblind. I was just wondering why in the story (the story within in the story, I don't mean as in "the episode") why an author writing about a 24th century space captain in a colourblind society, would need to specify skin colour.

Because Benny was endeavouring to make a point, in much the same way we are led to believe Rodenberry was but a decade earlier.

He wanted Sisko black precisely to challenge the status quo in his reality. Internally the universe of ST is colourblind, but the world in which it is watched (or read in this case) is most determinedly not.

 

[DonIago]

Read the post guys. As I said in my post, I am well aware of the relevance of the time, and why Benny Russell felt the way he felt, and why it mattered to him, etc etc

Again as I said, I'm only talking about in the context of the story/novella Benny Russell had written.
Star Trek is colourblind. I was just wondering why in the story (the story within in the story, I don't mean as in "the episode") why an author writing about a 24th century space captain in a colourblind society, would need to specify skin colour.

Are you asking why Benny felt it was important to write a story about a character who shared his skin color?

Isn't that like asking why people would want gay characters in Star Trek?

 

[Tosk]

Again as I said, I'm only talking about in the context of the story/novella Benny Russell had written.
Star Trek is colourblind. I was just wondering why in the story (the story within in the story, I don't mean as in "the episode") why an author writing about a 24th century space captain in a colourblind society, would need to specify skin colour.

Because Benny isn't writing for a color-blind society. And just because Star Trek supposedly has left bigotry behind, doesn't mean you have to shut up about where people come from or what they look like. Color-blind (in this context) doesn't mean that you can't see or mention a person's appearance, just that you don't judge them based on it.

 

[Prax]

I think OP is saying that the captain's skin color(in the short story) wouldn't necessarily need to be given. For instance, say it was 1959, and someone wrote a short story about Captain Kirk. His skin color wouldn't be given in the story. A white kid reading it would assume Kirk is white. A black kid might see him as black. An asian kid.....and so on.

It's like Jesus. If you go to an Ethiopian Church, (icons of )Jesus is(are) black. If you go to a Coptic Church, Jesus looks Egyptian. If you go to a church in Iran, Jesus looks Persian. Likewise Greece, or Russia, or Ireland, etc.

 

[Ethros]

I think OP is saying that the captain's skin color(in the short story) wouldn't necessarily need to be given. For instance, say it was 1959, and someone wrote a short story about Captain Kirk. His skin color wouldn't be given in the story. A white kid reading it would assume Kirk is white. A black kid might see him as black. An asian kid.....and so on.

Hooray. Someone understands.

 

[marsh8472]

Preacher got in his head perhaps


PREACHER: (Brock Peters) And he said to me, 'These words are trustworthy and true.' And the Lord, God of the spirits of the Prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place. Praise the Lord. Open their eyes. Help them to see.
BENNY: Are you talking to me?
PREACHER: Oh, that my words were now written. Oh, that they were printed in a book. Write those words, Brother Benny. Let them see the glory of what lies ahead.
BENNY: Benny? How do you know my name?
PREACHER: Go now and write the truth that's in your heart. The truth that shall set them free! Praise be the word of the Lord. Praise to the word of the Prophets.

 

[Bad Thoughts]

In real life, the character of Ben Sisko, the lead for the show, wasn't always intended to be played by an African American actor. I remember interviews with Rick Berman and Michael Pillar saying they were looking at all sorts of actors from all sorts of backgrounds. Indeed, even Yaphet Kotto was one of the front runners for the lead of TNG back when.

That's an oversimplification. Michael Piller created the character as an African-American man. After the bible was completed and got approval of the studio, those involved in casting, including Piller and Berman, willingly looked at characters from all backgrounds. However, Piller was ecstatic that they did find an African-American actor who could play the part, allowing him to fill out the story as he envisioned it. (Although it was an older actor than what was originally desired, much to Behr's dismay.)

I just don't understand what different a human's skin colour makes to a character in Star Trek

There were plenty of times that cultural backgrounds and identities, either of the actors or the characters, informed stories and character development. Sulu was supposed to sport a Samurai sword, until Takei convinced the writer and director otherwise. Stewart's Britishness overwhelmed Picard. At Doohan's suggestion, Scott became Scottish (because of the engineering tradition). Spock was only partly human, but Nimoy allowed his Jewishness to inform the character. There is a sense that whiteness is the default culture in Star Trek, but it is not culturally neutral. Indeed, only with Sisko do we get to the point that a central character could be in a position to express an identity that was not explicitly white and male.

I guess it was necessary for the episode's plot/story, I just wonder if it's a slight flaw in the concept.

No, it's not a flaw. Elements of the story were borrowed from DS9's origin, including the discussion of whether the lead should be African-American.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

Because Benny isn't writing for a color-blind society. And just because Star Trek supposedly has left bigotry behind, doesn't mean you have to shut up about where people come from or what they look like. Color-blind (in this context) doesn't mean that you can't see or mention a person's appearance, just that you don't judge them based on it.

@Tosk got it in one.

 

[Ethros]

That's an oversimplification. Michael Piller created the character as an African-American man. After the bible was completed and got approval of the studio, those involved in casting, including Piller and Berman, willingly looked at characters from all backgrounds. However, Piller was ecstatic that they did find an African-American actor who could play the part, allowing him to fill out the story as he envisioned it. (Although it was an older actor than what was originally desired, much to Behr's dismay.)
.

Oh really, ok fair enough. That's interesting.

My point anyway was just that Russell wasn't making a TV show, movie or comic, but a novella. So I just wondered how the main character's skin colour came into it. But I suppose at some point somewhere in his prose he must have specified that the character was "of African descent" or whatever, however he'd write it. It just seems a bit irrelevant to the plot of "DS9" to me is all I was saying, but I guess he was writing it a bit different. And yeah Tosk's explanation is good. Something I was merely pondering, but yeah that's interesting

 

[Spot261]

My suggestion is that he didn't want a colour blind book, nor did he want the reader to project their own expectations on the character. He quite specifically wanted the hero of the story to be black, precisely to challenge the white readerships prejudices.

 

[LtChange]

As I understood "Far Beyond The Stars" (I watched it about 2 weeks ago) the color of Sisko's skin, and the settings of the story is an allegory to the fact that in the Federation, everybody is saying Sisko not to be the Emissary, it is completely opposite of Federation values, but he must hold on to the fact that Bajorans believe that he is the Emissary, just as 1950's Benny is holding on to his black captain even though he would have a successful story in his hands if he would change the color of the skin of the captain.

 

[Iamnotspock]

Benny clearly was using SF as a lens through which to view his own society in much the same way that Gene Roddenberry would, ten years later. It wasn't strictly necessary to make Uhura of African descent, but doing so was a powerful visual statement at the time. Benny Russell was working in a different format from Roddenberry, but nonetheless had the same desire to paint a vision of a future where, to paraphrase Avery Brooks, a single child could see the long thought, to see themselves some 400 years hence; it was important to Benny that his story give representation to someone like him, in the context of a world where race would no longer be an issue. It was important enough to him to specify Sisko's ethnicity in the prose.

 

[Nyotarules]

Oh really, ok fair enough. That's interesting.

My point anyway was just that Russell wasn't making a TV show, movie or comic, but a novella. So I just wondered how the main character's skin colour came into it. But I suppose at some point somewhere in his prose he must have specified that the character was "of African descent" or whatever, however he'd write it. It just seems a bit irrelevant to the plot of "DS9" to me is all I was saying, but I guess he was writing it a bit different. And yeah Tosk's explanation is good. Something I was merely pondering, but yeah that's interesting

How familiar are you with the history of the USA? Especially how things were just 50 years ago? Western culture, even in nation states that have significant minorities assume the default for any human being is white, typically white and male despite the fact the majority of humans on the planet do not fit this category.

 

[Smoked Salmon]

Benny doesn't literally write Star Trek in it. He writes something similar....but writes something inspired by it in the context of the time he is in. In that time if a writer intended that his hero be of colour then he would likely have described the same, or at least talked of the character's ethnic heritage.