Film scholar Richard Schickel, in his 1968 book "The Disney Version", argued that the group of crows in the film were African American stereotypes. They were voiced by African American actors and singers of the popular all-black "Hall Johnson Choir", including actors James Baskett ("Song of the South") and Nick Stewart ("The Amos 'n' Andy Show"). Ward Kimball, the chief animator of the crows, used famous African-American dancers Freddie and Eugene Jackson as live-action reference for the characters. The personalities and mannerisms of the crows—specifically their fast-paced, back and forth dialogue—were inspired by the backchat found on the band records of Cab Calloway and Louis Armstrong. Karina Longworth, exploring the history of "Song of the South" in her podcast "You Must Remember This", discussed the basis of the crows in minstrel show culture, as part of a wider use of minstrel culture by Walt Disney.