African-Americans have been through an extensive journey in the motion picture industry.
In order for us to truly appreciate how far African-Americans have come in the film industry, it is necessary to revisit one of the most influential and controversial films in the history of American films.
The silent film titled The Birth of a Nation (TBAN), directed by D.W. Griffith, was set during the American Civil War period and depicted African Americans deceitful and currupt as thieves, coons, servants, mulattoes, and governing mammies. All of the African-American characters were played by Caucasians in blackface. This film outraged the NAACP because of its propagandized view of African-Americans. Independent African-American Filmmakers fought back and Emmet J. Scott, personal secretary to Booker T. Washington produced, The Birth of a Race.
The struggle for African-American actors did not end there. From 1927 to 1948, the uprise of “race” movies steered a new era in the motion picture industry. This was also an era of “talkies” or film with sound. The black actors seeking work could only find roles dealing with light comedy, singing, and dancing.
In the era of race movies, Hollywood was not interested in making positive image movies about African-Americans-they only saw them as maids, comics, butlers, or walk-ons.
After the integration period in 1969, we began to see African-Americans play roles of authority or relating to white Americans in a positive way. The integration period brought African-American actors in scenes with white actors showing with racial conflict and resolution.
During the era of the talented comics from 1960-1970, African-Americans began to deal with the issues of race by poking fun at it. Looking back at the horrors of the not-so-funny blackface films, this notion could easily become dishonorable business. Therefore, the talented comics had to be funny at the vital price of not being extremely offensive. Comics like Godfrey Cambridge, Richard Pryor and Eddie Murphy have become our treasures of laughter.
From 1970 to the present time, it is an honor to say that it is not strange anymore to see a black actor or actress dressed as a doctor or lawyer. African-Americans now play strong roles as detectives, cowboys, or even superheroes. From time to time, we still see African-Americans playing stereotypical roles such as thugs or drug addicts, but thankfully we have black filmmakers who can counter attack those films with constructive roles for African-Americans. We have finally reached an era where African-Americans can tell their story with their voice from their own perspective.