This archive report was first published on 30 June 2020.
John Wayne, the late Hollywood star, has been at the center of a controversy over his racist and bigoted views. The Orange County Democratic Party has condemned his statements and called for his name to be removed from the Orange County airport.
The party pointed to a 1971 interview with Playboy magazine, where Wayne was quoted saying "I believe in white supremacy" and "I don't feel guilty about the fact that five or 10 generations ago these people were slaves." This interview has been cited as evidence of Wayne's racist views.
Wayne's family has dismissed the comments as a "single outlier interview from half a century ago" that does not represent him. However, the Democratic Party argues that these views are a part of his legacy and should not be honored.
Wayne starred in over 150 films over six decades and was nominated for three Oscars, winning best actor for 1969's "True Grit." However, his racist views have sparked a debate over whether his name should be removed from the airport.
The move comes at a time when historic statues and monuments are being removed across the country, as Americans grapple with the legacy of racism. The population of Orange County, near Los Angeles, has grown far more diverse since 1979, the year Wayne died, and the airport was named for him.
President Trump has defended John Wayne's legacy, calling the move to remove his name from the airport "incredible stupidity." Trump has appeared alongside Wayne's daughter Aissa at Wayne's birthplace memorial in Iowa during his 2016 presidential campaign.
