The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (TV Series)

The Ethnic Tip (1991)

Janet Hubert: Vivian Banks

Photos 

Quotes 

• Vivian Banks : [sings]  Follow the drinking gourd, follow the drinking gourd for the old man's waiting to carry me to freedom.

  [Vivian stops singing] 

  Vivian Banks : Now, what do you suppose the purpose of that song was?

  William 'Will' Smith : [raises his hand]  Let me handle this one.

  [Will stands and faces the class] 

  William 'Will' Smith : For those of you unfamiliar with the spirituals, allow me to explain. The slaves used to sing them to keep their spirits up and their minds on God in the face of all the oppression that they suffered.

  Vivian Banks : That was very well put, Mr. Smith, but you're wrong.

  William 'Will' Smith : I beg your pardon?

  Vivian Banks : That song was written to be used as a secret code of the Underground Railroad.

  [Will sits down] 

  Kellogg Lieberbaum : Secret code? What do you mean?

  Vivian Banks : Well, first of all, can anyone tell me what the Underground Railroad was?

  William 'Will' Smith : [raises his hand again]  Now, this one l know.

  [Will stands] 

  William 'Will' Smith : The Underground Railroad was a group of people that led the slaves to freedom.

  Vivian Banks : And when was it established?

  William 'Will' Smith : During slavery.

  Vivian Banks : That covers about 250 years, Mr. Smith. Care to narrow it down a bit?

  William 'Will' Smith : What do you mean, right now?

  Vivian Banks : Sit down, Mr. Smith.

  [Will sits down] 

  Vivian Banks : lt was established during the 1840s. Harriet Tubman, an ex-slave, was one of the leaders. These gospel songs were actually secret messages sent to tell the runaway slaves how to get to freedom. For example, ''the drinking gourd'' referred to the Big Dipper. When the slaves sang "Follow the Drinking Gourd" that signaled to the runaway slaves to run towards the Big Dipper. Along the route, they would meet with the abolitionist and escape to freedom.

  William 'Will' Smith : Well, that's what I meant.

• Vivian : Why did you want a course in Black history in the first place?

  Will : Because I'm interested in it.

  Vivian : Are you really?

  Will : Of course.

  Vivian : Well, you didn't seem happy about all the work l was giving you. Weren't you the one who said if you were interested in something, you would study hard?

  Will : Aunt Viv, I read the autobiography of Malcolm X like three times.

  Vivian : That makes you a serious student on Black history?

  Will : That's a very important book.

  Vivian : Will, you can read that book, you can wear the T-shirts, put up the posters, and shout the slogans but unless you know all the history behind it - you're trivializing the entire struggle.

  [Will sits down] 

  Vivian : Now you started something very good here, but it's up to you to follow through on it.

  [Vivian hands Will a book and leaves. Will starts reading it] 

• Vivian Banks : [After Will proposes a Black History class]  That's not a bad idea

  Will : It's not?

  Philip Banks : It's not?

  Carlton Banks : [offscreen]  It's not?

• Vivian Banks : I'll go with you.

  William 'Will' Smith : You will?

  Philip Banks : You will?

  Carlton Banks : You will?