Breakthrough in Black: African American Cinema from the 1920s-1950s

Description

From the early to mid-1900s, “All-Black” films broke barriers and challenged the film industry for greater representation. Yet, 100 years later, these films are still relatively unknown. Breakthrough in Black: African American Cinema from the 1920s-1950s returns these movies and their directors, actors, and producers to the spotlight.

The “race film” or “race movie” was a genre of film produced in the United States between about 1915 and the early 1950s, consisting of films produced for Black audiences, and featuring Black casts. While over 400 race films were produced, fewer than one hundred remain. Because race films were produced outside the Hollywood studio system, they have been largely forgotten by mainstream film historians. Through 30 colorful movie posters, Breakthrough in Black rights that wrong.

A number of notable actors and directors got their start working in race films, including director Oscar Micheaux, who was an American author, film director and independent producer of more than 44 films. Some broke barriers: Ford Washington Lee and John W. Bubbles, better known as Buck and Bubbles, were the first Black artists to appear on live television; actor Sidney Poitier became the first African American to win an Oscar; and Dorothy Dandridge was the first Black woman to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress. The interplay between music and Hollywood is also apparent with films featuring Paul Robeson, Lena Horne, Louis Jordan, and Cab Calloway. Other actors in the exhibition made their mark outside of Hollywood; world heavyweight champion Joe Louis was one of the greatest boxers of all time, Richard L. Brown served two terms in Florida’s House of Representatives, and Bill Pickett was the first African American inducted into the Rodeo Hall of Fame. All of the men and women listed here are featured in Breakthrough in Black.

Breakthrough in Black: African American Cinema from the 1920s-1950s originated with The Black Canon, an arts collective dedicated to preserving and promoting African American literary, performing, visual and media arts. The Black Canon Collection contains the lifelong work of historian and collector James E. Wheeler, who was inspired by the race films he was able to watch in his parents’ café when growing up in the South. He set out to collect and educate others on the influence and innovation demonstrated by those films and filmmakers.

Breakthrough in Black: African American Cinema from the 1920s-1950s is an exhibition touring in partnership between The Black Canon and Exhibit Envoy.