African American cinema

African American cinema dates to the early years of American cinema.[1][2] While some of the major studios made films with African American casts for African American audiences, segregation and discrimination were major factors that impacted the American film industry. African Americans in film were frequently depicted according to bigoted stereotypes and caricatured.[3] Black actors in dramatic films were often relegated to bit parts such as maids and nannies for women and natives or servants for men. African American production companies and independent film companies producing movies with African American casts for African American audiences provided greater opportunities.

African American actors and directors have become more prominent in the industry. African American women directors and gay and lesbian directors and subjects have broken barriers.[4]

History

Minstrel shows and songs were very popular in the U.S. from the 19th[5] until the early 20th century when vaudeville acts overtook them in popularity. Some early films captured these acts. Early documentaries were used for publicity purposes at Tuskegee Institute and Hampton Institute.

Commercial films made with African American casts intended for African American audiences became known as race films. Nearly 500 were made in the United States between 1915 and 1952.[6]

Films for African American audiences from independent studios were made on much tighter budgets than Hollywood rivals.[7] Many of the theaters serving African Americans were in the southeastern United States.[7]

Silent film era

An African American appeared on film at least as early as 1909. Before this time African Americans were not seen in film as roles were taken by blackface white actors. In 1909, Siegmund Lubin produced the comedy series Sambo using a black cast. In 1910 and 1913, films intended for publicity purposes were made at Tuskegee Institute. In 1914 Sam Lucas became the first black actor to be cast in a leading role in a mainstream film, appearing in Uncle Tom's Cabin.[8][2]

William D. Foster's The Foster Photoplay Company in Chicago was one of the early studios to feature African Americans. Casts for its films included performers from stage shows at Robert T. Motts' Pekin Theatre. Theatre companies the Lafayette Players and The Ethiopian Art Theatre also had several players who crossed over into filmmaking. REOL Productions was a New York City studio that produced films in the early 1920s with actors from the Lafayette Players.

Lincoln Motion Picture Company was established in Omaha, Nebraska before relocating to Los Angeles. Ebony Film Corporation made slapstick comedies in Chicago. Norman Studios in Jacksonville, Florida produced drama films with African American casts. Bahamian actor Bert Williams wore blackface in Biograph comedy films.

Novelist Oscar Micheaux turned to filmmaking and released his first film The Homesteader, an adaptation of one of his novels, in 1919. His second film Within Our Gates released in 1920 was a response to D. W. Griffith's 1915 film The Birth of a Nation.[9] He made dozens more films with African American casts over the following 30 years.

Films with sound

Spencer Williams was an actor, director, and producer. Oscar Micheaux continued on from his silent era work and became a prominent and leading director and producer. William D. Alexander who helped helped make government sponsored newsreels for African American audiences early in his career, became another influential African American filmmaker.

Musical films captured various African American acts and performers on film. Shorter soundies were cut from them and released. Million Dollar Productions was a short-lived partnership that included African American star Ralph Cooper.

Toddy Pictures Corporation acquired and re-released some of the earlier films under new titles and advertising campaigns.

Singer and dancer Dorothy Dandridge became a film star as did Bill "Bojangles" Robinson. Lena Horne was another star of stage and screen. Athletes also appeared in films including boxers and football players.

Hattie McDaniel was an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the 1939 film Gone with the Wind.

In the wake of the Civil Rights movement, Melvin Van Peebles made several films. Gordon Parks directed the 1971 film Shaft starring Richard Roundtree.[9] Bill Gunn and Ivan Dixon also directed films[9]

A group of filmmakers became known as the LA Rebellion.

Later 20th century and 21st century

Directors Spike Lee and John Singleton have made numerous popular and influential films.[10] Tyler Perry has also had success as a filmmaker. Actor, comedian, and director Robert Townsend's work includes the film Hollywood Shuffle satirizing the Hollywood film industry and its treatment of African Americans.[10] Tim Story and Antoine Fuqua have also been successful and influential directors. Angela Robinson has had many female leads in her films and addressed issues related to lesbians in her filmmaking.

Whoopi Goldberg and Angela Bassett are film stars. Bahamian-American actor Sidney Poitier won am Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in the 1963 film Lilies of the Field. Denzel Washington, Jamie Foxx, Forest Whitaker have also won the best actor award.

Samuel Jackson and Wesley Snipes are among the action stars. Comedians Richard Pryor, Eddie Murphy, Will Smith, Martin Short, Chris Tucker, Martin Lawrence, and Bernie Mac have also become film stars.[11] Morgan Freeman, Cuba Gooding Jr., Forest Whitaker, Louis Gossett Jr., Terrence Howard, and James Earl Jones have had leading dramatic roles.

Rediscovery, recovery, and restoration of early films

The Library of Congress has African American films in its collection and some coverage of the films. The National Museum of African American History and Culture has film posters, lobby cards, and photographs in its collection. WUA University has an international collection with a lot of material from American films.[12] The Lucas Museum has acquired a collection.[13]

In the 1980s, G. William Jones led a restoration of early African American films.[9] Southern Methodist University has a collection named for him. Kino Lorber produced the Pioneers of African-American Cinema box set.[9]

Donald Bogle, Thomas Cripps (film historian), and Audrey McCluskey have written about African Americans in film.

See also

References
  1. Field, Allyson Nadia (March 3, 2020). "Black Cinema at Its Birth". The Criterion Collection.
  2. Hayward, Susan (18 April 2006). Cinema Studies: The Key Concepts. ISBN 9781134208913.
  3. "Black voices in silent cinema | Sight & Sound". BFI.
  4. https://time.com/5874175/black-cinema-essential-movies/
  5. "96.03.13: Black Actors inAmerican Cinema". teachersinstitute.yale.edu.
  6. Clark, Ashley (February 12, 2016). "Second showing: unearthing the lost history of African American cinema". The Guardian.
  7. "Negro Digest". Negro Digest Publishing Company. December 1, 1945 – via Google Books.
  8. Berry, S. Torriano; Berry, Venise T. (7 May 2015). Historical Dictionary of African American Cinema. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. ISBN 9781442247024.
  9. https://www2.bfi.org.uk/news-opinion/news-bfi/features/short-history-black-us-indie-cinema
  10. "Black films matter – how African American cinema fought back against Hollywood". the Guardian. October 13, 2016.
  11. McCann, Bob (December 21, 2009). Encyclopedia of African American Actresses in Film and Television. McFarland. ISBN 9780786458042 – via Google Books.
  12. http://archon.wulib.wustl.edu/index.php?p=collections/controlcard&id=232
  13. https://westfaironline.com/122533/rhinebeck-collector-sued-for-1-1m-over-sale-of-rare-separate-cinema-archive/
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