AFST 30411 - Black Power at the Movies: African American Cinema in the Twentieth Century

Institution:

University of Notre Dame

Subject:

Africana Studies

Description:

This course provides a corrective to the misconception that American film history is solely the history of the mainstream. Specifically, it examines the cultural and industrial factors affecting the production of movies made for (or of special interest to) Black American audiences, from the early silent era up through the 1990s. We will explore a variety of trends, movements, and approaches within African American film history. This designation covers a large number of films with a range of production backgrounds: from Black-cast musicals of the studio system era (e.g., Cabin in the Sky), to the work of the Los Angeles School of completely independent African American filmmakers (e.g., Daughters of the Dust); from the "race movies" produced for Black-only movie theaters in the 1920s, '30s, and '40s (e.g., the films of Oscar Micheaux) to the so-called "blaxploitation" cycle of the 1970s (e.g., the films of Pam Grier). We will pay particular attention to the influence of social factors on African American cinema. Specifically, we will ask how the "Black Power" idea -- loosely defined as the notion, adopted by assimilationists and nationalists alike, that people of African descent should free themselves from the trappings of colonialism and White supremacy and take control of their own destinies -- was negotiated and reflected in the products of twentieth-century American cinema.

Credits:

3.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Lecture

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.nd.edu

Phone Number:

(574) 631-5000

Regional Accreditation:

North Central Association of Colleges and Schools

Calendar System:

Semester

The Course Profile information is provided and updated by third parties including the respective institutions. While the institutions are able to update their information at any time, the information is not independently validated, and no party associated with this website can accept responsibility for its accuracy.