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One of the shows that legitimized Fox as ‘the fourth network’, In Living Color was the brainchild of Keenen Ivory Wayans and his brother Damon. Forever referred to as the black Saturday Night Live, In Living Color was a primetime sketch/variety show with a much more pronounced African-American slant. I pity those of you […]
Glory is based on the true story of the 54th Massachussetts Infantry, one of the Army’s first all black units. Led by Robert Shaw, the unit played an important role in the battle for Fort Wagner (Civil War). On to the tale of the tape… Relevance: The real life military unit this film is […]
Based on the popular satiric comic strip of the same name, The Boondocks follows the lives of the Freeman family. Robert ‘Granddad’ Freeman, an old school brother is the patriarch, trying to raise his two grandsons: Huey, a 21st century militant, and Riley, a gangsta rap lovin kid obsessed with the ‘thug’ lifestyle blown up […]
Debatably the most popular black film of all time, Coming to America is the story of Prince Akeem, who, in lieu of his arranged marriage as the Prince of Zumunda, elects to go to Queens in search of true love. On to the tale of the tape… Relevance: While we live in a ‘post-racial’ America […]
Yup, time to break out the big guns. The Oprah Winfrey Show has been a daytime staple for over twenty years, its host/star now on a first name only basis across the world. Oprah doesn’t really need a huge introduction, does she? Let’s move to the tale of the tape… Relevance: While her detractors […]
Eyes on the Prize was a miniseries broadcast on PBS that explored the Civil Rights movement from the mid fifties to the mid eighties. It is widely considered to be one of the best nonfiction works regarding black history ever produced. On to the tale of the tape… Relevance: From an ambition stand point […]
The film that literally starts the discussion of modern black filmmaking, Sweet Sweetback on its most basic level is the story of one brotha on the run from the police. If you know anything about black folks, our history, and our paranoia, you can easily insert the statement/joke, “Well, that’s a movie!” and be done […]
One of the most popular sitcoms of its era, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air told the story of West Philly teenager Will Smith as he brought his street-wise hip hop sensibilities to the Banks household, moving in with his aunt and uncle in Bel Air, California. On to the tale of the tape… Relevance: In […]
When you start talking about the iconic films of black cinema, it won’t be long before you get to Shaft. Made in 1971, this film stars Richard Roundtree as a black private eye in Harlem who gets dragged into a private war between the Italian mob and the black gangsters of the city. Yes, I […]
Dating back to the days of Redd Foxx (and earlier), black stand up comedians would pay their dues on a different route than their white counterparts. Affectionately known as the ‘chitlin’ circuit’, the black stand ups of the 80s and 90s would tour the country for years, decades even, performing blue material that catered directly […]
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