Diversity in Hollywood exists in cycles of booms and busts. There are moments of abundance when Black people are particularly visible on the big and small screens, with the Blaxploitation era in the 1970s and the reign of Black auteurs in the 1990s as prime examples of this. However, as soon as Black creators and actors find their footing, the industry no longer deems them valuable, and they vanish once again.
In his new MGM+ four-part series, “ Hollywood Black ,” which is based on historian Donald Bogle’s book, director Justin Simien argues that cinema as a medium is not possible without Blackness. Walking audiences through film history with anecdotes from industry icons, including Ryan Coogler, Ava DuVernay and Charles Burnett, the series reexamines film history through the lens of the people who’ve helped shape and, at times, save the business — but who are often given the short end of the stick. To rethink how cinema history is examined, the series’ first episode, titled “Built on Our Backs,” opens at the birth of the moving picture.
During the silent era and into the talkies, Blackness was showcased in minstrel acts, in blackface or under confining stereotypical depictions that were presented by actors like Bert Williams, Stepin Fetchit and Hattie McDaniel. However, instead of crucifying the performers for their involvement in these often hurtful portrayals, Simien analyzes their brilliant artistic expression and unpacks how these earlier acts paved the w.