Mermaids Have Always Been Black

The uproar over Disney casting Halle Bailey as the Little Mermaid overlooks generations of Caribbean and African folklore.
As a young child growing up in Trinidad and Tobago within sight and walking distance of the Caribbean Sea, I was gripped by the intrigue of mermaids. I was introduced to one version of a mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen, whose tale of a magical girl creature, an impossible location and an outrageous desire was thrilling.