100 YEARS OF

EDITED BY SHAWN EDWARDS

2000

2008

2012

2017
WRITTEN BY MEMBERS OF THE CRITICS
CHOICE ASSOCIATION AND AFRICAN
AMERICAN FILM CRITICS ASSOCIATION

Film
1919 -2 019

1963

1966

1971

1977

1984

1995
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DEDICATED TO THE PRESERVATION AND CELEBRATION OF FILMS ABOUT THE BLACK EXPERIENCE.
FORWARD
As a self-taught filmmaker, watching
movies was my film school. I watched
hundreds of movies. Different genres
and different styles. I watched
everything. However, it was movies
about the black experience that
moved me the most. Watching our
history unfold through cinema gave
me a profound sense of self and a
better understanding of our history
and what we have contributed to the
culture in front of and behind the
camera.
It gave me a sense of pride as I
discovered the works of William D.
Foster, Eloyce Gist, Gordon Parks,
Melvin Van Peebles, Haile Gerima,
Charles Burnett, Julie Dash, Larry
Clark, Euzhan Palcy, Kasi Lemmons,
Spike Lee and John Singleton. These
are the filmmakers that provided
the blueprint for myself and Jordan
Peele, Steve McQueen, Barry Jenkins,
Ryan Coogler and Ava DuVernay.
This bevy of great filmmakers got
their stories told often by any means
necessary. And in doing so, all have
been able to share their viewpoint of
the black experience with audiences
around the world.
Blacks have been making movies
since the early 1900s, creating their
films outside of the Hollywood
system. But one man pushed forward
with a greater sense of urgency and
forward-thinking business acumen
— Oscar Micheaux.
This year we celebrate the 100th
anniversary of his masterpiece “The
Homesteader,” the first feature-
length film written, produced,
directed and distributed by a black The perception of what it means to
person. It’s his ambition and tenacity be a black filmmaker has changed.
that created the pathway for other Black cinema is evolving and will
black filmmakers to follow. And continue to evolve. And if the next
though he wasn’t the first black 100 years is anything like the last,
person to produce movies, he was people around the world will benefit
certainly the most prolific of his era. from a cinematic re-imagining as
a new era of filmmakers create an
The black experience on film is abundance of cultural capital and
vast and global. And the past 100 share new experiences.
years have proven that fact, as black
filmmakers have been able to visually
bring their stories to life. BY DEON TAYLOR
It is important that we recognize Filmmaker
and salute their efforts as we take
a look at the 20 most significant
moments that changed the course
of black cinema and re-examine the
100 films about the black experience
that had the greatest impact on
popular culture.
1
2 THE 20 BIGGEST MOMENTS THAT
3
4CHANGED BL ACK FILM
5
6
7
1 Oscar Micheaux produces a feature-length film in 1919 “The Homesteader.” 11 In 1991 “Daughters of the Dust” becomes the first feature film by a black
woman to receive theatrical distribution in the United States.

8
2 In 1920 Oscar Micheaux claps back at “The Birth of a Nation” (1915) with
“Within Our Gates.” 12 At the age of 24, director John Singleton becomes the youngest person and
first black person ever to be nominated for Best Director for “Boyz N the
3 MGM releases “Hallelujah” in 1929. Hood” in 1992.

910
4 Hattie McDaniel becomes the first black person to win an Academy Award
13 Halle Berry becomes the first black woman to win an Academy Award for
in 1940. Best Actress and Denzel Washington becomes the first black actor to win
multiple Oscars in 2002.
5 Sidney Poitier becomes the first black male to win an Academy Award in

1112
1964. 14 Cheryl Boone Isaacs becomes the first black person and third woman
elected president of the A.M.P.A.S. in 2013. She’s re-elected in 2015. During
6 In 1966 Ousmane Sembene’s “Black Girl” becomes the first Sub-Saharan her tenure she made sweeping changes regarding the membership with an
African film by an African filmmaker to receive international attention. emphasis on diversity.

13
7 Maverick filmmaker Melvin Van Peeble’s racy film “Sweet Sweetback’s
15 In 2014 “12 Years a Slave” becomes the first film directed by a black filmmaker
Baadasssss Song” is released and unofficially begins the Blaxploitation era (Steve McQueen) to win Best Picture.
in 1971.

14 8 Berry Gordy takes on Hollywood. Motown Productions’ original focus was on 16 Roger Ross Williams becomes first black director to win an Oscar for the
documentary short “Music by Prudence” in 2010.

1516
the production of television specials for its star recording artists. However,
it’s best know for its feature films “Lady Sings the Blues,” “Mahogany,” “The
17 In 2015 the #OscarsSoWhite uproar forces Hollywood to take a hard look in
Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings,” “The Wiz” and “The Last the mirror and rethink its diversity initiatives.
Dragon.”
18

17
“Moonlight” directed by Barry Jenkins wins the Best Picture Oscar in 2016.
9 Eddie Murphy leaves “SNL” in 1984 and becomes the biggest movie star in
the world. 19 Marvel’s “Black Panther” becomes a box office smash and cultural
phenomenon in 2018.

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10 Director Spike Lee kicks-off the contemporary black film movement, often
referred to as the New Black Wave, with the release of his first feature film, 20 In 2019 Tyler Perry builds a movie studio in Atlanta, Georgia.
“She’s Gotta Have It” in 1986.

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OSCAR MICHEAUX PRODUCES A FEATURE LENGTH FILM IN 1919
“THE HOMESTEADER”

Oscar Michaeux’s “The Homesteader” released in 1919 is considered the

first race film. More importantly it was the first feature-length film written,
directed, produced and distributed by a black person.

Micheaux is often lauded as the father of black cinema. However, William

D. Foster began producing films nearly a decade earlier than Micheaux’s
first effort. Nonetheless, “The Homesteader” was different. It was a game
changer. It wasn’t a short but a feature length film.

Micheaux was more than just a filmmaker. He was also a savvy businessman
and genius marketer. On his posters, Micheaux specifically advertised that
his films were scripted and produced exclusively by African Americans. A
move that attracted his core audience and raised eyebrows in mainstream
Hollywood.

The film which starred Evelyn Preer and Charles D. Lucas was adapted from
his own semi-autobiographical novel and distributed by his Chicago-based
company the Micheaux Film Corporation, which operated from 1918 to 1940.

The film was a hit and set in motion 100 years of black filmmaking.

SHAWN EDWARDS
Fox 4 News (Kansas City)
Critics Choice Association Board Member and African
American Film Critics Association Co-Founder
IN 1920 OSCAR MICHEAUX CLAPS BACK AT “THE BIRTH OF A NATION”
WITH HIS FILM “WITHIN OUR GATES”
Director D.W. Griffith’s landmark Despite the fact that between
cinematic racist manifesto, “The Birth of 1919 and 1948, Micheaux created
a Nation” released in 1915, was compared forty films, only three (“Within
by then President Woodrow Wilson as, Our Gates,” “The Symbol of the
“like writing history with lightning,” Five Unconquered” and “Body Soul”)
years later filmmaker Oscar Micheaux remain in circulation. While much
provided a powerful response with his of his work was featured during the
1920 film, “Within Our Gates.” practice of “Midnight Rambles,”
segregation-era midnight
It is easy to dismiss in our current showings of films for African
political environment how courageous American audiences, Micheaux
the visionary Micheaux‘s actions were often referred to as ‘The Father of
prior to the release of his seminal film. Black Film” laid a foundation that
Filmed during the 1919 Chicago Race inspired and birthed an entire
Riots of Red Summer and released one nation of filmmakers of color who
year before the Tulsa Race Riots, which all stood on his iconic shoulders.
destroyed Black Wall Street, “Within
Our Gates” spotlights what would
become a trademark in Micheaux’s films,
contrasting the plight of middle-class
blacks dealing with moral issues of the time but doing it with hope
and dignity, all the while moving the culture forward.

Micheaux’s rise juxtaposes the rise of the foundation of the modern

film era with the formation of the “Big Five” studios in Hollywood –
20th Century Fox, RKO Pictures, Paramount Pictures, Warner Bros.
and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Forty years before Berry Gordy would
change the face of American music with the launch of Motown
Records, in a different and more advanced time, Micheaux would
have been in a perfect position to join the other founding fathers
of Hollywood to provide an alternate perspective. One could only
wonder what impact Micheaux’s films would have had if he had TIM GORDON
been allowed to partner and work with other filmmakers of color to Black Reel Awards
Critics Choice Association and African
empower his people as other ethnicities were allowed to do.
American Film Critics Association Member
MGM RELEASES “HALLELUJAH” IN 1929

The old cliché that states, “The only color Hollywood cares about is green,”
is clearly erroneous. It implies that movies with a black cast don’t make
money and are therefore too risky to produce. However, the financial success
of MGM’s 1929 musical melodrama “Hallelujah!” disproved the notion.
Filmmaker King Vidor’s early sound film, which was Hollywood’s second
production featuring an all-black cast, enjoyed significant box office success
but didn’t lead to a string of similar releases.

3
Added to the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress
in 2008, it is considered an important artwork that is culturally, historically,
or aesthetically significant.

In terms of its cultural significance, it’s a double-edged sword. While Vidor

and his colleagues clearly intended this to be an empathetic portrait of
African American sharecroppers and their abiding faith, it inadvertently
reinforces some unfortunate stereotypes. Historically, it occupies a notable
place for pre-dating the ‘race’ films, appealing to white and black audiences
alike.

Aesthetically, it is meritorious on many levels. While modern audiences

may quibble about the film’s slow pace and exaggerated emoting, this was
common for films of the era. The strengths of “Hallelujah!” lie in Vidor’s
striking imagery and camera movement, the musical passages that showcase
a number of African American styles and the earnest performances by an
appealing cast.

Daniel L. Haynes is dynamic as Zeke, the farmer-turned-preacher who

succumbs to the wiles of the wanton woman Chick, played by the charismatic
Nina Mae McKinney. Fanny Belle DeKnight is also memorable as Zeke’s long
suffering Mammy.

Striking and memorable, “Hallelujah!” transcends its dated elements.

RUSS SIMMONS
Fox 4 News (Kansas City)
Critics Choice Association Member
HATTIE MCDANIEL BECOMES THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN TO WIN AN
ACADEMY AWARD IN 1940
The youngest of 13 industry. She was an amazing talent
children born to two who starred alongside the likes of
former slaves, Hattie such legends as Jean Harlow, Clark
McDaniel became a Gable, Jimmy Stewart and Ginger
trailblazer as the first Rogers, to name a few.
person of color to win an
Academy Award for her Of course, her victories were not
portrayal of Mammy in without criticism from the very same
David O. Selznick’s 1939 race she had hoped to make proud.
film “Gone With The She was criticized for not being
Wind.” As she accepted more politically active. In fact, the
that award (Best NAACP complained for years about
Supporting Actress), stereotypical roles and outright
she said, “…I hope that I attacked Hattie McDaniel and her
am a credit to my race.” acting choices. McDaniel, in a now
She most certainly was, classic response said, “Why should
having appeared in over I complain about making $7,000 a
300 motion pictures, becoming the first woman of color to week playing a maid? If I didn’t, I’d
sing on the radio and to have her own radio show “Beulah” be making $7 a week actually being
for three years, Hattie McDaniel’s accomplishments were one!” After winning the Oscar, she
spectacular for any person of color at that time in the continued to work in radio, film and
television until she succumbed to
breast cancer on October 26, 1952.
She was posthumously awarded
two stars on the Hollywood Walk
of Fame for her work in film and
radio. As Monique accepted her
Best Supporting Actress Oscar
for “Precious,” she graciously
commented “…without Hattie
McDaniel I wouldn’t be standing
here today.” Hattie McDaniel was
the first to prove that women of
color have substance, courage
and talent. Thanks to her blazing
the trail, we have seen not only
Monique take home the Best
Supporting golden statue, but
Jennifer Hudson, Regina King,
Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer,
Lupita Nyong’o, Whoopi Goldberg
and of course Halle Berry as Best
Actress for “Monster’s Ball.”
CARLA RENETA
The Curvy Critic
Critics Choice Association and African
American Film Critics Association Member
SIDNEY POITIER BECOMES THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN MALE TO WIN
AN ACADEMY AWARD IN 1964

“I was the only black person on the set. It was unusual for me to be
in a circumstance in which every move I made was tantamount to
representation of 18 million people.”
-Sidney Poitier

It’s hard to imagine being the only one. But this quote shows how this man

5
understood his position. And he did not cower. There was no one like him.
Born in Miami, raised in the Bahamas, he moved to New York at age 16 and
found his passion in the theater. And yes, he was the first black man to win
an Oscar in 1964 for his role in “Lilies of the Field.” But this man was so
much more. He was ‘the’ role model for a culture. And he knew it. Poitier
knew we were watching. He knew the world was watching to get a visual
definition of being black. So, he carefully chose the roles and the way he
spoke in public, always leaning into dignity and strength. You would see
these traits in a runaway prisoner, a teacher, a police detective or even
with a man falling for a blind woman.

But there’s more! Poitier’s career soared while his hands reached back
pulling others up with his films in the ‘70s. “The Measure of a Man” is the
name of his autobiography that tells the story of a man who came from
nothing without a traditional education and soared beyond the constraints
of our tethered society. He was always my standard measurement for a
man even though I believe his impact is immeasurable. Sidney Poitier just
is... and always will be.

LEE THOMAS
Fox 5 News (Detroit)
Critics Choice Association and African
American Film Critics Association Member
IN 1966 OUSMANE SEMBENE’S BLACK GIRL BECOMES THE FIRST SUB-SAHARAN
AFRICAN FILM BY AN AFRICAN FILMMAKER TO RECEIVE INTERNATIONAL ATTENTION

Ousmane Sembene’s “Black Girl,” aka “La Noire de,” was revolutionary
upon its release in 1966. It showed the life of a domestic worker in Dakar,
Senegal. This was during a time when black cinema was still struggling to be
acknowledged. Director Ousmane Sembene’s dared to show what Africans,
more importantly, African women had to endure to survive.

6
The film centers on Gomis Diouana, a young woman who is from a poor village
in Dakar. She’s not very educated but believes that the right opportunity can
allow her to move up in life. In comes Madame. She is stylish, educated, and
French. Madame offers Gomis a lifeline. Everything is fantastic in Senegal,
but when she accepts an offer to move to France with the family, things get
interesting.

It’s agonizing to see Gomis transform from a young woman filled with
dreams to slowly withdrawing. Madam views her as ungrateful and lazy, we
the audience, understand that she’s depressed. The themes in the film are
still relevant today. Domestic workers exist at the mercy of their employers.
Most are immigrants fearful of having wages withheld or worse sent back
to a nation in torment. “Black Girl” is an honest film that shows what occurs
when the powerful take advantage of the poor and uneducated. It may have
taken place in 1966, but it still rings true today.

KATHIA WOODS
Cup of Soul Show
Critics Choice Association and
African American Film Critics Association
Member
MAVERICK FILMMAKER MELVIN VAN PEEBLE’S RACY FILM “SWEET SWEETBACK’S BAADASSSSS
SONG” IS RELEASED AND UNOFFICIALLY BEGINS THE BLAXPLOITATION ERA IN 1971
Where does one begin with a
subject like Melvin Van Peebles? His
contributions to film, in particular
black film are immeasurable.
I could write about how after moving
to France in the early 60s, he learned
the language, wrote several novels
in French and adapted one to be
his first feature film in France, “The
Story of a Three Day Pass,” in 1968.
I could write about how in 1971
after making his first ‘studio’ film
“Watermelon Man,” he decided to
shun the ‘studio system’ to go off and
become an independent filmmaker
– writing, directing, starring and
financing his own film (with a little
financial assistance from Bill Cosby).
And I could mention how with
that one film (“Sweet Sweetback’s
Badasssss Song”) he single-handedly
launched the second renaissance
of black film now referred to as the
“Blaxploitation” era.
I could write about how for the
soundtrack to his film, not only
did he discover a then unknown
group called Earth, Wind & Fire but
also had the novel idea to sell the
soundtrack in advance of the film as
a way of getting the early word out
(something that is still done to this
day).
Or, I could write about how “Sweet
Sweetback’s Badasssss Song”
launched the radical idea of an
African American protagonist
who was not afraid to stand up for
himself or his community. It struck
such a nerve in black culture that the
Black Panthers famously embraced
the film as embodying the spirit of
what they stood for.
But what I treasure most about
Melvin is my 20-plus year friendship
with him. I am one of the rare film
critics who is also a filmmaker. The
level of support I got from Melvin
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while making my first feature film
(even though at the time he only
knew me from having interviewed
him once) was both humbling and
invaluable. For me that is who Melvin
is, a generous, giving, living legend
and pioneer in film I’m proud to call
both a mentor and a friend.
MIKE SARGENT
WBAI-FM 99.5 (New York)
Critics Choice Association and
Black Film Critics Circle Member
BERRY GORDY TAKES ON HOLLYWOOD. MOTOWN PRODUCTIONS’ ORIGINAL FOCUS WAS ON THE
PRODUCTION OF TELEVISION SPECIALS FOR ITS STAR RECORDING ARTISTS. HOWEVER, IT’S BEST KNOW
FOR ITS FEATURE FILMS “LADY SINGS THE BLUES,” “MAHOGANY,” “THE BINGO LONG TRAVELING ALL-
STARS & MOTOR KINGS,” “THE WIZ” AND “THE LAST DRAGON”
Motown, founded by Berry Gordy, is a name synonymous with some of
the greatest music ever recorded. Diana Ross and The Supremes, The
Temptations, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, The Four Tops, Michael Jackson
and The Jackson 5 are just a few names that instantly come to mind. The
company not only had a great thing going with vinyl, they also had something
very good going with celluloid. Movies were
another part of the Motown hit machine.
The start of Gordy’s record company was
like something out of a fantasy movie. The
ambitious entrepreneur received an $800
loan from his family to get his company
started.. The rest, as they say, is music
history. Near the end of the 1960s after
massive success, Gordy’s thoughts were
not only on music but also on television and
movies. He wanted his stars to be seen as
well as heard. At the end of the 1960s and
beginning of the 1970s, Motown began to
dabble in television specials including “TCB”
which featured Diana Ross and The Supremes and The Temptations. Now it
was time for them to make the big move into motion pictures.
The 1970s opened up a whole new door for the record company. Gordy moved
Motown from Detroit to the west coast, a move that still has some Detroiters
upset to this day. However, Gordy had Hollywood in his sights and was all set
to produce his first movie, “Lady Sings The Blues.” The 1972 biopic was about
one of Gordy’s favorite singers, Billie Holiday. And there was only one star he
had in mind to play the title role, and that was Ross.
Gordy entered into a partnership with Paramount Pictures, but soon
grew weary of the way the production was going. He went to Paramount’s
president, Frankie Yablans, and asked him
8
what it would take for him to gain control
of the entire movie. Yablans told him it
would be one million dollars. The next day
Gordy showed up at Yablans’ office with a
check for one million dollars and said most
famously, “Now, give me my ‘blanking’
film.“ Gordy went on to finish directing the
movie himself.
Not only did “Lady Sings The Blues”
become a hit, it also went on to garner five
Academy Award nominations including
one for Ross for best actress. The film made
Ross an instant movie star and Billy Dee
Williams a sex symbol. Despite the fact that Ross didn’t win the Academy
Award, Motown had solidly planted itself in the movie business. Motown
would go on to make many other hit movies including “Mahogany” (which
also starred Ross and Williams), “The Bingo Long Traveling All Stars and
Motor Kings,” the cult classic “Berry Gordy’s The Last Dragon,” the “Wizard of
Oz” reinterpretation “The Wiz” and several other films.
Motown will always be remembered as one of the greatest musical forces
ever. But it should also be remembered as a groundbreaking movie company
that made quality films that presented African Americans in a positive light
on screen. Gordy is proof positive, like one of Motown‘s biggest hits, that
“Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.”
GREG RUSSELL
(Detroit)
Critics Choice Association and African
American Film Critics Association Member
EDDIE MURPHY LEAVES “SNL” IN 1984 AND BECOMES THE BIGGEST
MOVIE STAR IN THE WORLD

Before his departure from NBC’s “Saturday Night Live,” Eddie Murphy had
already experienced success starring in “48 Hrs.” and “Trading Places,” both
grossing more than 75 million dollars. With a strong desire to focus on his
film and music career full time, on April 14, 1984, Eddie Murphy filmed his last

9
episode of “SNL” as a series regular and embarked on a journey to become one
of the biggest movie stars in the world.

Thirty-five years later, Murphy has appeared in more than 50 films, earning
more than $6.8 billion worldwide, and he is the sixth highest grossing actor in
the U.S. During his career, Murphy has won a Golden Globe, was awarded the
Mark Twain Prize for American Humor and is an Academy Award Nominee for
his performance in “Dreamgirls.”

With his latest role as Rudy Ray Moore in Netflix’s “Dolemite is My Name,”
Murphy is continuing to prove that he still has major star power. His incredible
performance is garnering awards buzz, and Murphy is not slowing down
anytime soon. With upcoming projects such as “Coming to America 2,” “Beverly
Hills Cop 4” and a soon to air Netflix comedy stand-up special, Murphy
continues to demonstrate that his decision to leave “SNL” in 1984 was one of
the best of his career. If the past is prelude, the best for Murphy is yet to come!

SHARRONDA WILLIAMS
Pay or Wait
Critics Choice Association and African American
Film Critics Association Member
 DIRECTOR SPIKE LEE KICKS-OFF THE CONTEMPORARY BLACK FILM MOVEMENT, OFTEN REFERRED TO AS THE
NEW BLACK WAVE, WITH THE RELEASE OF HIS FIRST FEATURE FILM, “SHE’S GOTTA HAVE IT” IN 1986

When Spike Lee first came on the scene in 1986 with “She’s Gotta Have It,” no
one at the time ever assumed he would be the director that would pave the
way for other African American filmmakers to begin thinking independently
as opposed to relying on studio financing. Made on a shoestring budget (under
$200K) and gorgeously filmed in black and white (except one scene), the film
brought fresh faces to the screen and delivered a new style of storytelling.
“She’s Gotta Have It” earned $7.1 million at the box office. And in Hollywood,

10
nothing is more attractive or important than how much money you bring in.
You can have the best reviewed film ever, but if no one sees it at the time, it
becomes extremely difficult to get the next project off the ground.

Lee was rewarded with the first “Best First Feature” at the 1987 Independent
Spirit Awards for the film. Ironically, none of the actors in the movie, except
Lee himself, would become household names, but Nola Darling and Mars
Blackmon were characters that many remember to this day.

“She’s Gotta Have It” is a story about sexual independence told from a black
female’s perspective. At the time, it was a fresh and daring point of view.
That’s what got audiences talking about and discussing the film’s subject
with a ferocious vigor. Lee also became a strong advocate for his native city
of Brooklyn. The filmmaker heavily incorporated the nuances and cultural
flavor of his neighborhood into his movie. Something he would continue to
do his entire career.

What Lee did best with “She’s Gotta Have It” is show that not all black films
have to be the same. “She’s Gotta Have It” was something totally different,
and with that, Lee ushered in a new era of black filmmaking.

WILSON MORALES
BlackFilm.com
Critics Choice Association and Black Film
Critics Circle Member
IN 1991 “DAUGHTERS OF THE DUST” BECOMES THE FIRST FEATURE
FILM BY AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMAN TO RECEIVE THEATRICAL
DISTRIBUTION IN THE UNITED STATES

One way to consider the impact of Julie Dash on Black Film Culture
is to account for just a teasing sample of her progeny. As the first
black female director of a full-length general theatrical release in the
U.S. (which has since been placed on the National Film Registry by the
Library of Congress), Dash paved the way for Kasi Lemmons’ (“Eve’s
Bayou”), Gina Prince-Bythewood’s (“Love & Basketball”), Amma Asante’s
(“Belle”) and Ava DuVernay’s (“Selma” and “A Wrinkle in Time”) on the
studio side, but also indie darlings like Cheryl Dunye’s (“The Watermelon
Woman”), Darnell Martin’s (“I Like It Like That”) and Dee Rees’ (“Pariah”
and “Mudbound”). Of course, it would be short-sighted to ignore the
sons, like Best Adapted screenplay Academy Award-winners Tarell Alvin
McCraney and Barry Jenkins (“Moonlight”), Dash has inspired as well.

Birthing moments and movements happen in such a flash, a figure like

Dash is never simply a matriarch, but a sister and an auntie watching
over those that follow, sharing in the struggle, because the struggle
always continues. “Daughters of the Dust,” in presenting Gullah culture
– African folk roots that survived off the coast of South Carolina and
Georgia into the 20th Century – provided us with evidence of who we
always had been, even in the face of decimation and oppression in the
New World. And all of the filmmakers who came after Dash illustrate
that the days of our future past remain bright.

TT STERN-ENZI
(Detroit)
Cincinnati CityBeat/Fox 19 News (Cincinnati)
Critics Choice Association Member
AT THE AGE OF 24, DIRECTOR JOHN SINGLETON BECOMES THE YOUNGEST
PERSON AND FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN EVER TO BE NOMINATED FOR BEST
DIRECTOR FOR “BOYZ N THE HOOD” IN 1992

Few directors had the immediate impact on Hollywood John Singleton had
when he initially burst into the scene. His 1991 debut film, “Boyz N the Hood”
became an instant pop cultural phenomenon and Singleton became the
first black person and the youngest person ever nominated for an Academy
Award for Best Director. He was 24 years old.

This was the beginning of a career that would find Singleton examining
modern day race issues in a series of mainstream films that achieved critical
and box office success. He followed his breakout debut with 1993’s “Poetic
Justice,” then “Higher Learning” in 1995. He continued on with 1997’s
historical drama, “Rosewood,” then his remake of “Shaft” in 2000.

Perhaps the greatest sign of Singleton’s influence is in the acting careers he

helped shepherd. Nia Long, Ice Cube, Oscar-winner Cuba Gooding Jr., and
Tyrese Gibson all had their breakthrough roles under Singleton’s guidance
and continue to live up to his standard today.

TRAVIS HOPSON
Punch Drunk Critics
Critics Choice Association Member
HALLE BERRY BECOMES THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMAN TO WIN AN
ACADEMY AWARD FOR BEST ACTRESS AND DENZEL WASHINGTON BECOMES THE
FIRST BLACK ACTOR TO WIN MULTIPLE OSCARS IN 2002
The Oscar ceremony in 2002 was a monumental evening.

Halle Berry became the first African American to win Best

Actress and Denzel Washington followed Sidney Poitier as
only the second black to win the Best Actor award.

Halle Berry won best actress for her role as Leticia Musgrove
in “Monster’s Ball,” marking the first time two black
performers won the lead acting Oscars in the same year
and becoming the first and still only black actress to win the
Oscar for best actress.

Washington won for his portrayal as a corrupt cop in

“Training Day.” He turned his acceptance speech into a
tribute to Poitier. “I’ll always be chasing you, Sidney,” he said.
“I’ll always be following in your footsteps.”

Poitier, who won his Oscar in 1964 for “Lilies of the Field,”
received special honors earlier in the evening making the
74th Academy Awards one of the most special moments in
the history of black film. It was truly a night to remember
and a landmark moment that signaled the beginning of new
and exciting era in black film.

SHAWN EDWARDS
Fox 4 News (Kansas City)
Critics Choice Association Board Member and African
American Film Critics Association Co-Founder
CHERYL BOONE ISAACS BECOMES FIRST BLACK PERSON AND THIRD WOMAN ELECTED PRESIDENT OF THE
A.M.P.A.S. IN 2013. SHE’S RE-ELECTED IN 2015. DURING HER TENURE SHE MADE SWEEPING CHANGES
REGARDING THE MEMBERSHIP WITH AN EMPHASIS ON DIVERSITY

Cheryl Boone Isaacs has been a strong presence in Hollywood since the
1970s. She first got her start working in publicity at Columbia pictures. In
1984, while at Paramount Pictures she was promoted to director of publicity
and promotion worldwide. She held that position for 13 years.

Fast forward to July 30, 2013, and Isaacs is elected as the Academy of Motion
Picture Arts and Sciences’ president. This is a monumental win as she is only
the third woman and the first African American to be elected.

As the new leader, Isaacs implemented historic changes. For example,

she pushed for new membership which included the addition of 400 new
Academy members. These new members were younger and more diverse.
With the move to make the Academy membership a more inclusive crowd,
Isaacs had hopes of leveling the playing field when it came time to voting. In
order to accomplish her goal, Isaacs orchestrated the removal of restrictions
on how many members where accepted into the Academy.

Isaacs did all of that in just her first term, in 2015, Isaacs was re-elected to
office and rolled out new plans of advancement. During her second tenure,
she improved A.M.P.A.S. mentorship initiatives for students, and then created
a five-year plan within The Academy to improve diversity across the board.

Her time as the Academy president will not go unnoticed. Her fearlessness
and need to improve diversity will ripple throughout Hollywood for years to
come.

VALERIE COMPLEX
Pride.com
African American Film Critics Association Member
IN 2014 “12 YEARS A SLAVE” BECOMES FIRST FILM DIRECTED BY A BLACK
FILMMAKER (STEVE MCQUEEN) TO WIN BEST PICTURE

In 2014, 87 years after the first Academy Award was handed out, the first
Best Picture film with a black producer was awarded to “12 Years A Slave.“
Quincy Jones had been the first black producer nominated for Best Picture in
1985 for “The Color Purple,” but it wasn’t until nearly twenty years later that
we had a win! Director/producer Steve McQueen created a raw, unflinching
look at slavery in telling the story of Solomon Northrup, a man born free
in New York, but drugged and sold into slavery after being kidnapped in
Washington, D.C.

The film was monumental in making Lupita Nyong’o and Chiwetel Ejiofor
household names. It sealed a new Steve McQueen as a force to be reckoned
with in Hollywood. Perhaps more importantly, it also sparked conversation
about the horrors of America’s dark history and its present day issues with
kidnapping and enslavement.

KEVIN SAMPSON
Picture Lock/ABC 7 (Washington D.C.)
Critics Choice Association Member
 ROGER ROSS WILLIAMS BECOMES FIRST BLACK DIRECTOR TO WIN AN OSCAR FOR THE
DOCUMENTARY SHORT “MUSIC BY PRUDENCE” IN 2010
“Say My Name: Roger Ross Williams”
Robert L. Johnson, BET billionaire.
Hiram Revels, Mississippi Senator.
Guion Bluford, NASA astronaut.
What do these luminaries have in
common? Each was the first African
American to the game in their
respective categories. Added to the
list of African Americans who are
premier in their league is Roger Ross
Williams, filmmaker super eximious.
Williams’ name has not yet exploded
onto the scene. However, he is a
force simmering low, roiling soft but
primed to burst. In 2010, he became
the first black artist in the history
of the Oscars to win for directing,
thrusting him into a legion of
change-makers and history breakers.
Academy recognition of a single
black director took 81 years,
and the gabbing pipelines that
illuminate the careers of well-known
documentarians like say Werner
Herzog or Roger Moore have been
rather quiet about this recipient.
From the short film, “Music by
Prudence,” that propelled him
into Oscar-glory, to the Sundance
Institute alumni advisory board, that
crazy-fab dual-continental living and
the multi-project deal penned with
streaming giant, Netflix, Williams
makes witnessable waves amongst
the stars. Now, is his time as a
cinematic phenom to shoot across
the sky.
16
Best believe, audiences will gaze in
awe at his cometing career and they LONITA COOK
will not forget to say his name. Better TV (Kansas City)
Kansas City Women and Film and
Television Member
IN 2015 THE #OSCARSSOWHITE UPROAR FORCES HOLLYWOOD TO TAKE A HARD
LOOK IN THE MIRROR AND RETHINK ITS DIVERSITY INITIATIVES
In 2015, when no actors of color were nominated in any
acting category for the Oscars, April Reign brought social
media into the century’s long battle for diversity and
inclusion in Hollywood with the hashtag #OscarsSoWhite.
One hundred years prior, the National Association for
the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) took to the
streets in support of the boycott against D.W. Griffith’s “The
Birth of a Nation,” which promoted violence against African
Americans while also perpetuating dangerous stereotypes.
Other movements like #WhiteWashedOUT, in response to
the industry practice of casting white actors for Asian roles,
also sprouted.
Unlike the protest from years before, however, the response
to the #OscarsSoWhite movement sparked systemic
changes. Under the leadership of Cheryl Boone Isaacs,
the first African American to head the organization, the
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which has
hosted the Academy Awards since 1929, responded by
revamping its membership criteria. Subsequent Academy
membership has become the most diverse in its history.
In addition to that, the industry overall has responded
proactively, as issues of diversity and inclusion have come
more to the forefront, with strong box office receipts and
ratings backing up the adjustment.
Creators of color like Ava DuVernay, who has given women
directors of all hues a seat at the table with her all-women
directed television series, “Queen Sugar,” have been leading
voices for the cause. The result has been a more robust
landscape, where such films as “Black Panther” have
thrived. As this country becomes increasingly more diverse
and the industry more global, efforts to make “diversity
and inclusion” business as usual are accelerating the day
where movements like #OscarsSoWhite will no longer be
necessary.
RONDA RACHA PENRICE
Upscale Magazine
African American Film Critics Association Member
“MOONLIGHT” DIRECTED BY BARRY JENKINS WINS THE BEST PICTURE OSCAR IN 2016
It’s a wonder that a film like
“Moonlight” even got made. Stories
like this are rarely given a chance to
exist cinematically. It was an eight
year grind for Barry Jenkins, who
co-wrote, produced and directed
the movie, to get the film made.
Adapted from an obscure play, Tarell
Alvin McCraney’s autobiographical
story “In Moonlight Black Boys Look
Blue” “Moonlight” was the story of
young African American male who
struggles with his masculinity, sexuality and identity of self while growing
up in Liberty City an impoverished section of Miami known mostly for crime,
drugs and hopelessness.
Jenkins incorporated elements from his own experiences into the film but
it’s not about his life. The basics are sadly familiar territory. A young kid has
to deal with his crack addicted mother (Naomie Harris who was nominated
for an Oscar for her performance) while being mentored by the neighborhood
drug dealer (Mahershala Ali who won an Oscar for his performance). But
18
“Moonlight” is one hundred percent non-conventional.
The movie could have easily been labeled a “gay” story or a “hood” tale but
instead, it plays as an intense and unflinching examination about several
human conditions many people go through in life. Struggling with self-
identity, bullying and drug addiction are common problems that millions
deal with everyday. “Moonlight” brilliantly and poetically captures the
nuances of the these issues.
In a stunning feat, the main character is played by multiple actors who
represent different stages of lead character’s life. Chiron is played at three
different life stages by Alex Hibbert, Ashton Sanders and Trevante Rhodes,
all of whom perfectly morph into one another. It really was a casting coup.
What “Moonlight” does best, is it erases the notion that stories about other
ethnicities and cultures are risky business. The film boldly stays true by
avoiding cliches and false moments. There isn’t a single non-black in the
film. And why or should there be? There is no need for a savior figure. Real
life doesn’t play out that way, which is the brilliance “Moonlight.” It’s an
unapologetic work of art that has a sensitivity toward the issue of blackness.
And it absolutely deserved to win Best Picture.
SHAWN EDWARDS
Fox 4 News (Kansas City)
Critics Choice Association Board Member and African
American Film Critics Association Co-Founder
MARVEL’S “BLACK PANTHER” BECOMES A BOX OFFICE SMASH AND CULTURAL
PHENOMENON IN 2018

“Black Panther” based on the Marvel comic book series of the same

19
name, set a whole bunch of box office records and won three Academy
Awards (Best Costume Design, Best Art Direction and Best Score).
Yet those numbers and accolades tell little of its true impact. The film
directed by Ryan Coogler was one of the first major motion pictures
to feature an almost exclusively black cast and key black talent behind
the camera. Described as a “love letter” to black culture, it’s impact was
seismic and truly epic. In no time, it had kids everywhere — and more
than a few adults — yelling “Wakanda forever” at every opportunity.

Beyond its tremendous reviews and historic box office performance

(more than a billion dollars worldwide), the film changed the culture and
became a defining moment for Black America that impacted the entire
world. Finally, after years of painfully negative and blatantly harmful
depictions of blacks on screen, there was a movie loaded with positive
images and characters that blacks could rally around and identify with
positively. For many blacks, the film’s release was like a national holiday.
The movie sparked a sense of pride and inspired Afro-futurism-themed
parties, academic panel discussions, scholarship funds, vacation plans
to Africa and thousands of black kids dressing-up like their favorite
characters on Halloween. Many had waited a lifetime for a moment like
this, and “Black Panther” more than delivered with a multi-generational
appeal never before seen in the history of Hollywood.

SHAWN EDWARDS
Fox 4 News (Kansas City)
Critics Choice Association Board Member and African
American Film Critics Association Co-Founder
IN 2019 TYLER PERRY BUILDS A MOVIE STUDIO IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA
Chasing a dream is hard for anyone -
boy, girl, man, woman, gay, straight,
rich, poor, black, white, Hispanic
or Asian. Chasing a dream is never
easy. Dreams are elusive and the
victor must have stamina, speed
and determination. Somebody once
said to me, “If you believe you can
achieve.”
However, that is not true. It’s not just
about believing. You have to keep
believing even when all the odds are
against you. It’s not about believing,
it’s about not letting go of that
belief. Because for dream chasers,
they never stopped believing. The
achievers kept believing when all
evidence told them to give up on
their beliefs.
Such is true for Tyler Perry. The media
mogul never stopped believing. In
2015, Academy Award winner Spike
Lee famously remarked, “It is harder
for an African American to become
president of a major motion picture
studio than to become president of
the United States.”
History supports Lee’s statement.
However, in the face of those odds,
Perry built his own movie studio
in Atlanta, Georgia. Tyler created
Tyler Perry Studios and built the
massive complex at the former Fort
McPherson army base which was a
former Confederate Army base.
Tyler Perry’s Studios is situated
on 330 acres. That is larger in size
than Disney, Paramount and Warner
Bros.’ studio lots combined. It’s one
of the largest production facilities
in the country and showcases forty
buildings on the National Register
of Historic Places, twelve purpose-
built sound stages, 200 acres of
greenspace and a diverse backlot.
As we celebrate 100 years of black
cinema, we will remember 2019 in
particular because Perry pointed the
way forward and gave legitimacy to
the future of our cinema.
JAMAAL FINKLEY
BlackTree TV
Critics Choice Association and
African American Film Critics
Association Member
THE 100 MOST IMPORTANT FILMS
ABOUT THE BLACK EXPERIENCE
100 “The Princess and the Frog” (2009; Directed by Ron Clements and John 88 “Paris is Burning” (1991; Directed by Jennie Livingston; Paris Dupree)
Musker; Anika Noni Rose, Keith David, Jenifer Lewis)
87 Selma (2014; Directed by Ava Duvarney; David Oyelowo)
99 “Black Girl” (1966; Directed by Ousmane Sembene; Mbissine Therese and
Anne-Marie Jelinek) 86 “Killer of Sheep” (1977; Directed by Charles Burnett; Henry G. Sanders)

98 “Wild Style” (1982; Directed by Charlie Ahearn; Fab Five Freddy, 85 “Jungle Fever” (1991; Directed by Spike Lee; Samuel L. Jackson, Wesley
Grandmaster Flash) Snipes, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Halle Berry)

97 “The Learning Tree” (1969; Directed by Gordon Parks; Kyle Johnson, Alex 84 “Uptown Saturday Night” (1974; Directed by Sidney Poitier; Sidney Poitier,
Clarke, Estelle Evans) Bill Cosby, Harry Belafonte)

96 “The Homesteader” (1919; Directed by Oscar Micheaux; Charles D. Lucas, 83 “Juice” (1992; Directed by Ernest R. Dickerson; Tupac Shakur, Omar Epps,
Evelyn Preer, Iris Hall) Queen Latifah)

95 “Burning an Illusion” (1981; Directed by Menelik Shabazz; Cassie 82 “Touki Bouki” (1974; Directed by Djibril Diop Mambéty; Magaye Niang,
McFarlane, Victor Romero) Mareme Niang)

94 “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” (1967; Directed by Stanley Kramer; 81 “When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Parts” (2006; Directed by
Sidney Poitier, Beah Richards) Spike Lee; Ray Nagin, Terence Blanchard, Harry Belafonte)

93 “Miracle in Harlem” (1948; Directed by Jack Kemp: Stepin Fetchit, Sheila 80 “Sugar Cane Alley” (1983; Directed by Euzhan Palcy; Garry Cadenat)
Guyse)
79 “La haine” (1995; Directed by Mathieu Kassovitz; Vincent Cassel)
92 “Precious” (2009; Directed by Lee Daniels; Mo’nique, Gabourey Sidibe,
Paula Patton, Mariah Carey) 78 “Krush Groove” (1985; Directed by Michael Schultz; Blair Underwood,
Sheila E.)
91 “Battle of Algiers” (1966; Directed by Gillo Pontecorvo; Brahim Hadjadj)
77 “Introducing Dorothy Dandridge” (1999; Directed by Martha Coolidge;
90 “The Spook Who Sat by the Door” (1973; Directed by Ivan Dixon; Lawrence Halle Berry) — TV Movie
Cook)
76 “Purple Rain” (1984; Directed by Albert Magnoli; Prince, Morris Day,
Apollonia Kotero)
89 “Daughters of the Dust” (1991; Directed by Julie Dash; Cora Lee Day, Alva
Rogers)

Compiled by Shawn Edwards

Critics Choice Association Member and Co-Founder African American Film Critics Association
75 “The River Niger” (1976; Directed by Krishna Shah; Cicley Tyson, James
Earl Jones, Louis Gossett Jr.)

“Hallelujah!” (1929; Directed by King Vidor; Daniel L. Haynes, Nina Mae

74 McKinney)

73 “Home of the Brave” (1949; Directed by Mark Robson; James Edwards)

72 “Hotel Rwanda” (2004; Directed by Terry George; Don Cheadle, Sophie

Okenedo)

“The Green Pastures” (1936; Directed by Marc Connelly and William

71 Keighley; Eddie “Rochester ” Anderson, Rex Ingram)

70 “House Party” (1990; Directed by Reginald Hudlin; Christopher Reid,

Christopher Martin, Robin Harris)
62 “Black Orpheus” (1959; Directed by Marcel Camus; Marpessa Dawn, Breno
Mello)
69 “New Jack City” (1991; Directed by Mario Van Peebles: Wesley Snipes,
Ice-T)
61 “Hollywood Shuffle” (1987; Directed by Robert Townsend; Robert
Townsend, Anne-Marie Johnson, Keenen Ivory Wayans)
68 “To Sir, With Love” (1967; Directed by James Clavell; Sidney Poitier)

67 “Rosewood” (1997; Directed by John Singleton; Ving Rhames, Don Cheadle, 60 “A Dry White Season” (1989; Directed by Euzhan Palcy; Donald Sutherland,
Esther Rolle) Jürgen Prochnow, Marlon Brando, Janet Suzman, Zakes Mokae, Susan
Sarandon)
66 “Wattstax” (1973; Directed by Mel Stuart; Isaac Hayes, Richard Pryor,
Albert King) 59 “A Soldier’s Story” (1984; Directed by Norman Jewison; Howard E. Rollins
Jr., Adolph Caesar, Denzel Washington)
65 “Cabin in the Sky” (1943; Directed by Vincente Minnelli; Lena Horne,
Louis Armstrong) 58 “A Rage in Harlem” (1991; Directed by Bill Duke; Forest Whitaker, Gregory
Hines)
64 “I’m Gonna Git You Sucka” (1988; Directed by Keenen Ivory Wayans;
Keenen Ivory Wayans, Jim Brown, Bernie Casey) 57 “Love Jones” (1997; Directed by Theodore Witcher; Nia Long, Lorenz Tate,
Isaiah Washington)
63 “Stormy Weather” (1943; Directed by Andrew L. Stone; Bill Robinson, Lena
Horne) 56 “Sankofa” (1993; Directed by Haile Gerima; Kofi Ghanaba)

55 “Devil in a Blue Dress” (1995; Directed by Carl Franklin; Denzel

Washington, Don Cheadle)

54 “Blade” (1998; Directed by Stephen Norrington; Wesley Snipes, N’Bushe

Wright)

53 “Nothing But a Man” (1964; Directed by Michael Roemer; Ivan Dixon,

Abbey Lincoln)

52 “Waiting to Exhale” (1995; Directed by Forest Whitaker; Whitney Houston,

Angela Bassett, Loretta Devine)

51 “Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song” (1971; Directed by Melvin Van

Peebles; Melvin Van Peebles, Mario Van Peebles)

Compiled by Shawn Edwards

Critics Choice Association Member and Co-Founder African American Film Critics Association
 37 “Soul Food” (1997; Directed by George Tillman Jr.; Vanessa Williams, Vivica
A. Fox, Mekhi Phifer)

36 “Lilies of the Field” (1963; Directed by Ralph Nelson; Sidney Poitier)

35 “Eve’s Bayou” (1997; Directed by Kasi Lemmons; Samuel L. Jackson, Debbi

Morgan, Vondie Curtis-Hall)

34 “The Emperor Jones” (1933; Directed by Dudley Murphy; Paul Robeson)

“Tsotsi” (2005; Directed by Gavin Hood; Presley Chweneyagae, Terry

33 Pheto)

32 “Menace II Society” (1993; Directed by Allen and Albert Hughes; Tyrin

Turner, Lorenz Tate, Jada Pinkett Smith)

50 “Set It Off” (1997; Directed by F. Gary Gray; Jada Pinkett Smith, Queen Latifah, 31 “Straight Outta Compton” (2015; Directed by F. Gary Gray; O’Shea Jackson
Vivica A. Fox) Jr., Corey Hawkins, Jason Mitchell, Aldis Hodge, Neil Brown Jr.)

49 “Within Our Gates” (1920; Directed by Oscar Micheaux; Evelyn Preer, James D. 30 “Glory” (1989; Directed by Edward Zwick; Denzel Washington, Morgan
Ruffin, Charles D. Lucas, Bernice Ladd, Jack Chenault, William Smith) Freeman, Andre Braugher)

48 “To Sleep With Anger” (1990; Directed by Charles Burnett; Danny Glover, 29 “City of God” (2002; Directed by Fernando Meirelles and Katia Lund;
Sheryl Lee Ralph, Mary Alice) Alexandre Rodrigues)

47 “The Mack” (1973; Directed by Michael Campus; Max Julien, Don Gordon, 28 “Watermelon Man” (1970; Directed by Melvin Van Peebles; Godfrey
Richard Pryor) Cambridge)

46 “What’s Love Got to Do With It” (1993; Directed by Brian Gibson; Angela 27 “I Am Not Your Negro” (2016; Directed by Raul Peck; James Baldwin)
Bassett, Laurence Fishburne)
26 “The Five Heartbeats” (1991; Directed by Robert Townsend; Robert
45 “Love & Basketball” (2000; Directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood; Omar Epps, Townsend, Michael Wright, Leon)
Sanaa Lathan)

44 “When We Were Kings” (1996; Directed by Leon Gast; Muhammad Ali, George
Foreman)

43 “Lady Sings the Blues” (1972; Directed by Sidney J. Furie; Diana Ross, Billy Dee
Williams, Richard Pryor)

42 “In the Heat of the Night” (1967; Directed by Norman Jewison; Sidney Poitier)

41 “Island in the Sun” (1957; Directed by Robert Rossen; Harry Belafonte, Dorothy
Dandridge)

“She’s Gotta Have It” (1986; Directed by Spike Lee; Tracy Camilla Johns, Spike
40 Lee, Tommy Redmond Hicks)

39 “Boyz N the Hood” (1991; Directed by John Singleton; Laurence Fishburne,

Cuba Gooding Jr., Ice Cube)

38 “Black Caesar” (1973; Directed by Larry Cohen; Fred Williamson, Gloria

Hendry)
Compiled by Shawn Edwards
Critics Choice Association Member and Co-Founder African American Film Critics Association
25 “A Raisin in the Sun” (1961; Directed by Daniel Petrie; Sidney Poitier, Claudia 12 “Get Out” (2017; Directed by Jordan Peele; Daniel Kaluuya)
McNeil, Ruby Dee)
11 “Cooley High” (1975; Directed by Michael Schultz; Glynn Thurman, Lawrence
24 “Dreamgirls” (2006; Directed by Bill Condon; Jamie Foxx, Beyonce Knowles, Hilton-Jacobs, Garrett Morris)
Eddie Murphy, Jennifer Hudson)
10 “Super Fly” (1972; Directed by Gordon Parks Jr.; Ron O’Neal, Carl Lee)
23 “Friday” (1995; Directed by F. Gary Gray; Ice Cube, Chris Tucker)
9 “Carmen Jones” (1954; Directed by Otto Preminger; Dorothy Dandridge, Harry
22 “Hidden Figures” (2016; Directed by Theodore Melfi; Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Belafonte)
Spencer, Jenelle Monae)
8 “Moonlight” (2016; Directed by Barry Jenkins; Naomie Harris, Mahershala Ali)
21 “Shaft” (1971; Directed by Gordon Parks; Richard Roundtree, Moses Gunn)
7 “Sounder” (1972; Directed by Martin Ritt; Cicely Tyson, Paul Winfield, Kevin Hooks)
20 “Richard Pryor: Live in Concert” (1979; Directed by Jeff Margolis) Bailey Diahann Carroll)

19 “Cotton Comes to Harlem” (1970; Directed by Ossie Davis; Godfrey Cambridge, 6 “Black Panther” (2018; Directed Ryan Coogler; Chadwick Boseman, Michael B.
Raymond St. Jacques) Jordan, Forest Whitaker, Lupita Nyong’o, Angela Bassett, Danai Gurira, Daniel
Kaluuya and Letitia Wright)
18 “Bamboozled” (2000; Directed by Spike Lee; Damon Wayans, Savion Glover,
Jada Pinkett Smith) 5 “Malcolm X” (1992; Directed by Spike Lee; Denzel Washington, Angela Bassett)

17 “The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman” (1974; Directed by John Korty; 4 “Claudine” (1974; Directed by John Berry; Diahann Carroll, James Earl Jones)
Cicely Tyson) – TV Movie
3 “12 Years a Slave” (2013; Directed by Steve McQueen; Chiwetel Ejiofor, Lupita
16 “OJ: Made in America” (2016; Directed by Ezra Edelman; O.J. Simpson) Nyong’o)

15 “Ray” (2005; Directed by Taylor Hackford; Jamie Foxx, Regina King) 2 The Color Purple” (1985; Directed by Steven Spielberg; Whoopi Goldberg, Danny
Glover, Oprah Winfrey)
14 “Coming to America” (1988; Directed by John Landis; Eddie Murphy, Arsenio
Hall, James Earl Jones) 1 “Do The Right Thing” (1989; Directed by Spike Lee; Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Samuel
L. Jackson, Martin Lawrence, Spike Lee, Robin Harris)
13 “Hoop Dreams” (1995; Directed by Steve James; William Gates, Arthur Agee)

Compiled by Shawn Edwards

Critics Choice Association Member and Co-Founder African American Film Critics Association
A CELEBRATION OF BLACK CINEMA
‘A Celebration of Black Cinema’ - Presented by the Critic’s Choice Association | December 2nd, 2019 | Landmark Theater | Los Angeles, California

Eddie Murphy receives the Lifetime Eddie Murphy and former president of Eddie Murphy thanks members of the
Achievement Award. the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Critic’s Choice Association members.
Sciences, Cheryl Boone Isaacs.

Lifetime Achievement Award
honoree Eddie Murphy and
filmmaker Kasi Lemmons who was
honored for her film “Harriet.”
Honoree Nia Long with
John Singleton’s daughter
Justice Singleton.
Don Cheadle presents “Dolemite Is My Name” stars
Chiwetel Ejiofor with his award. Wesley Snipes and Eddie Murphy.
Ejiofor was honored for his film
“The Boy Who Harnessed the
Wind.”
PHOTO CREDITS
COVER PAGE 10 “Black Panther” Poster: Courtesy Disney/Marvel
Gone with the Wind: Courtesy MGM “Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song” Poster: Courtesy Vinegar Syndrome
The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings: Courtesy Universal Pictures/Motown Melvin Van Peebles: Courtesy Chicago Tribune PAGE 23
Productions “Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song”: Courtesy Vinegar Syndrome Tyler Perry: Courtesy Tyler Perry Studios
Hallelujah: Courtesy King Vidor Productions Tyler Perry Studios: Courtesy Tyler Perry Studios
Mahogany: Courtesy Paramount Pictures/Motown Productions PAGE 11 Tyler Perry Studios: Courtesy Tyler Perry Studios
The Wiz: Courtesy Universal Pictures/Motown Productions “The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings”: Courtesy Universal Pictures/Motown
Hattie McDaniel: Courtesy MGM Productions PAGE 24
Black Panther: Courtesy Disney/Marvel “Lady Sings the Blues”: Courtesy Paramount Pictures/Motown Productions The List
Within Our Gates: Public Domain “The Wiz”: Courtesy Universal Pictures/Motown Productions
PAGE 25
PAGE 1 PAGE 12 The List
Dedication Page “48 Hrs.”: Courtesy Paramount Pictures “Watermelon Man” Poster: Courtesy Columbia Pictures
“Raw”: Courtesy Paramount Pictures “Stormy Weather”: Courtesy 20th Century Fox
PAGE 2 “Saturday Night Live”: Courtesy NBC “Superfly” Poster: Courtesy Warner Bros.
Forward Page “Cabin in the Sky”: Courtesy MGM
Deon Taylor: Courtesy Hidden Empire Film Group PAGE 13
“Black and Blue”: Courtesy Sony/Screen Gems Spike Lee: Courtesy TheFader.com PAGE 26
“Black and Blue”: Courtesy Sony/Screen Gems “She’s Gotta Have It” Poster: Courtesy Island Pictures The List
“She’s Gotta Have It”: Courtesy Island Pictures “City of God” Poster: Courtesy Miramax
PAGE 3 “Cooley High”: Courtesy American International Pictures
20 Biggest Moments Page PAGE 14 “Shaft” Poster: Courtesy MGM
Music for Prudence: Courtesy HBO “Daughters of the Dust”: Courtesy Kino International “The Color Purple”: Courtesy Warner Bros.
Boys N the Hood: Courtesy Columbia Pictures “Daughters of the Dust”: Courtesy Kino International “Hidden Figures” Poster: Courtesy 20th Century Fox
Daughters of the Dust: Courtesy Kino International Julie Dash: Courtesy Ebony.com
She’s Gotta Have It: Courtesy Island Pictures
PAGE 27
“12 Years a Slave”: Courtesy Fox Searchlight
PAGE 15 The List
“Moonlight”: Courtesy A24
“Boyz n the Hood” Poster: Courtesy Columbia Pictures “Love and Basketball” Poster: Courtesy New Lomé Cinema
“SNL”: Courtesy NBC
John Singleton: Courtesy Universal Pictures “Malcom X”: Courtesy Warner Bros.
“Black Panther”: Courtesy Disney/Marvel
“Boyz n the Hood”: Courtesy Columbia Pictures “Do the Right Thing”: Courtesy Universal Pictures
Halle Berry and Denzel Washington: Courtesy A.M.P.A.S.
“Carmen Jones” Poster: Courtesy 20th Century Fox
Cheryl Boone Isaacs: Courtesy A.M.P.A.S.
PAGE 16
Halle Berry and Denzel Washington: Courtesy A.M.P.A.S. PAGE 28
PAGE 4
Halle Berry: Courtesy A.M.P.A.S. A Celebration of Black Cinema
Newspaper Advertisement: Public Domain
Denzel Washington: Courtesy A.M.P.A.S. Eddie Murphy receives the Lifetime Achievement Award: Courtesy Netflix
Oscar Micheaux: Courtesy Kino Lurber
Eddie Murphy and former president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences,
Oscar Micheaux: Courtesy New York Public Library Schomburg Center for Research in
PAGE 17 Cheryl Boone Isaacs: Courtesy Netflix
Black Culture
Cheryl Boone Isaacs: Courtesy A.M.P.A.S. Eddie Murphy: Courtesy Netflix
Cheryl Boone Isaacs and Paris Barclay: Courtesy Getty Images Eddie Murphy and filmmaker Kasi Lemmons: Courtesy Netflix
PAGE 5 Honoree Nia Long with John Singleton’s daughter Justice Singleton: Courtesy Netflix
Cheryl Boone Isaacs and Spike Lee: Courtesy A.M.P.A.S.
“Within Our Gates” Poster: Public Domain
“Within Our Gates”: Public Domain Don Cheadle presents Chiwetel Ejiofor with his award. Ejiofor was honored for his film
“Within Our Gates”: Public Domain PAGE 18
“The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind”: Courtesy Netflix
“12 Years a Slave”: Courtesy Fox Searchlight
“12 Years a Slave” Poster: Courtesy Fox Searchlight
PAGE 6 Wesley Snipes and Eddie Murphy: Courtesy Netflix
“12 Years a Slave”: Courtesy Fox Searchlight
“Hallelujah”: Courtesy BFI National Archive
“Hallelujah” Poster: Courtesy The Department of African American Research Arts and PAGE 29
Culture PAGE 19
Acknowledgments
“Hallelujah” Title Libby Card: Courtesy King Vidor Productions “Music for Prudence”: Courtesy HBO
Roger Ross Williams: Courtesy A.M.P.A.S.
Roger Ross Williams and Cheryl Boone Isaacs: Courtesy A.M.P.A.S. Shawn Edwards: Courtesy WDAF-TV

PAGE 7 AAFCA Awards: Courtesy African American Film Critics Association

Hattie McDaniel: Courtesy Classic Movie Hub PAGE 20
“Gone With The Wind”: Courtesy Selznick International Pictures April Reign: Courtesy Toronto International Film Festival
Kamia Kindle: Courtesy Soda Pop Graphics
Hattie McDaniel Oscars: Courtesy Kobal/Rex/Shutterstock Mudbound” Set: Courtesy Netflix
Nominees: Courtesy Los Angeles Times
PAGE 8
PAGE 30
Sidney Poitier Oscars: Courtesy AP Photo PAGE 21
Photo Credits
“Lillies in the Field”: Courtesy United Artist “Moonlight” Poster: Courtesy A24
Sidney Poitier: Courtesy CBS News “Moonlight”: Courtesy A24
“Moonlight” Best Picture Oscar: Courtesy A.M.P.A.S. PAGE 31
Thank You
PAGE 9
“Black Girl”: Courtesy Janus Films PAGE 22
“Black Girl” Poster: Courtesy Janus Films “Black Panther”: Courtesy Disney/Marvel
“Black Girl”: Courtesy Janus Films “Black Panther”: Courtesy Disney/Marvel
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
SHAWN EDWARDS BOOK DESIGNED BY Soda Pop Graphics
LEAD DESIGNER J’mia Cheadle
Shawn Edwards is an award-winning film critic for Fox 4 News in Kansas
City, Missouri. He has been reviewing movies for the station since 2000.
4042 Blue Ridge Blvd, Suite 510
Edwards co-founded the African American Film Critics Association in Kansas City, MO 64133
2003 along with Gil Robertson.
816.272.1014
He is a member of the Critic’s Choice Association where he recently www.sodapopgraphics.com
became a member of the board of directors.
CEO / FOUNDER - Kamia Kindle
He is deeply passionate about the history of black film and has been a
lifelong champion of the historical documentation and preservation of In 2004, the Founder of SPG, had a vision for
movies about the black experience. a design firm that not only produced cutting
edge work, but of an organization that
reached out to the community far and near.

Ms. Kindle is proud to have collaborated with

such a wide base of local and national talent
ranging from Movie Trip TV Awards to other
prestigious organizations.

The accomplishment of designing well

over 45,000 ads and email creative is one
fact that she likes to remain extremely
humble about. She received her under-grad
degree in Computer Information Systems
and possesses the confidence and ability
to capture the intent of the client while
maintaining her God-given, raw artistic
talent. With over 17 years of experience in
the graphic designs and internet marketing
solutions field, Kamia is deemed as an expert.

SPG, LLC is an agency where anything you

can imagine is possible!
Thanks!
Mom (Carolyn Edwards), Joey Berlin, John De Simio, Pete Hammonds, Madelyn
Hammonds, Critics Choice Association, Kamia Kindle, J’mia Cheadle, Aisha Wilks,
Arthur Clayton, Soda Pop Graphics, Deon Taylor, Roxanne Taylor, Hidden Empire
Film Group, Gil Robertson, African American Film Critics Association, Shannon
Gibbs, Shanae Gibbs and Theresa O’Leary