Everyone is fines - Earthas fine, Rubys fine, and Pearls fine. It was funny seeing Pearl who plays Will's (Nat King Coles) Aunt and her character seemingly doesn't age from the time Will is 10 to the time hes bout 42 (I assume hes that old).
They knew they had to make Pearl his aunt and not his mama because half the time she looked younger than him. For a few moments I thought she was his mom because he treated her as such. She was his confidant and someone who seemed to always worry about him. But the movie promoters knew not to do that - look at her promo poster vs how she showed up in the movie.
A baddie
Shout out to Juano Hernandez, who played Wills father, I was pleasantly surprised to see an Afro Latino in the role. And after reading his Wiki he sure did live a very full life.
Cab Calloway played a good bad guy, but he always kinda scared me anyway...Once that slick hair starts falling out of place you might as well call yourself Big Red from the five heartbeats cause im scared of you.
Cab Calloway vs Big Red who's winning the fight
Overall I enjoyed the movie. The storyline didn't have much depth. The theme : Theres only two kinds of music worship music and devil music. And ultimately if the refined white man loves your music then maybe your angry pastor daddy and your girlfriend will love your music too.
From the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History & Culture website linked here
Blockbuster films and television series such as Black Panther and Luke Cage have renewed conversations about colorism and identity in Hollywood.
Colorism, the discrimination against individuals based on their skin tone, has long influenced the opportunities available to African Americans. In response to this discrimination, historically, African Americans often found alternate ways to present themselves. Some actors moved outside the mainstream film industry while others played into stereotypes. The creation of race movies for and by African Americans in the early 1900s sought to offer more complex narratives and roles. The various ways African Americans responded to discrimination shaped the early film industry and documented a legacy of unequal representation.
Colorism not only occurs in different racial or ethnic groups but can happen within them as well. Colorism differs from racism in that racism is based on beliefs about the racial inferiority of a group. Racism can include systemic inequality, prejudiced attitudes and discriminatory acts. Colorism is thought to only have negative implications for individuals of darker skin tone. However, lighter-skinned African Americans have been victims of colorism as well. The effects of colorism have proven to be damaging to the identity of black Americans by leading to internalized oppression in the black community. Moreover, the concept of identity, and how a person presents oneself in order to make a living, is not only an issue that has historically hindered black actors and actresses, but everyday black Americans as well.
The historic absence of African American actors and actresses in leading roles has been evident throughout the history of Hollywood films. When African Americans were cast, lighter skinned actors were preferred for more prominent roles. Roles for darker skinned individuals generally played on or amplified racist stereotypes. This placed both lighter and darker skinned African Americans in a situation where many felt as though they could not simply be black without being categorized. This identity crisis caused many lighter skinned African Americans to make attempts at passing for white in public settings in order to compete for more opportunities, which led to increased tensions in the black community.
In Langston Hughesâ 1934 collection of short stories, The Ways of White Folks, one recurring theme is passing. When passing, black people with light skin tones would be considered as white based on their physical appearance. Passing became increasingly common during the Great Depression. In a stifled economy where it was difficult for whites to find jobs, African Americans found this task to be especially difficult.
In escaping the Jim Crow South, coming north and marrying my white father, she must have thought gaining white privilege was worth the price of losing family ties and her authentic self. The irony was that in gaining white privilege, in passing for white, the onslaught of racism was splayed open to her. Its ugly face could now be shared with her, a âwhiteâ woman who would understand and possibly agree.
Gail Lukasik, 2017
Author of White Like Her: My Familyâs Story of Race and Racial Passing
Some African Americans passed for white as a means to either provide for their families, make a decent living, or to get a glimpse of white privilege. In Langston Hughesâ The Ways of White Folks the narrator of the short story âPassingâ says, âMa, some white people certainly donât like colored people, do they? (If they did, then I wouldnât have to be passing to keep my good job)." He continues, âWhen I look at the colored boy porter who sweeps out the office, I think that thatâs what I might be doing if I wasnât light-skinned enough to get byâ (Hughes 52). While the stories in Hughesâ collection were fictional, they were certainly based on the experiences of African Americans in the United States at this time. The story of the Johnston family highlights the trials and tribulations of a family struggling with hiding their true identity in order to be accepted into white society.
How I got here:
Saw some GIF from a black and white move > found the movie clip on youtube >youtube suggested another movie from that period>noticed everyone was light skin except for a few men > remember all the discourse on colorist casting every few business days > googled "why are people so light in movies" and found this great article.
The image above depicts Dr. Albert C. Johnston, his wife Thyra Johnston, and their four children. The 1949 movie Lost Boundaries, was based on the story of Dr. Johnstonâs life. Dr. Johnston, a biracial radiologist who graduated with honors from the University of Chicagoâs Rush Medical School, unintentionally passed for white in the 1930s. After completion of his postgraduate work, Johnston could not find a job that would hire African Americans. Eventually, he was hired at Maine General Hospital in Augusta, Maine, the only place that did not inquire about his race. When he realized his associates and co-workers believed he was white, he maintained the secret of his actual identity for over a decade. His wife, who was one-eighth black, understood her husbandâs predicament and kept his secret as well. In 1940, the United States Navy recruited Dr. Johnston but suspected him of having âcolored blood.â After Dr. Johnston admitted in the investigation to being partly black, the Navy refused him a commission. Stunned by the rejection, Dr. Johnson decided to tell his children about their background. However, this revelation did not impact the Johnson family's role in society. The family continued to live in New Hampshire where Dr. Johnson operated his medical practice into the 1960s.
Albert Jr., Dr. Johnstonâs son, revealed his familyâs story to movie producer Louis de Rochemont a few years after he learned the truth from his parents. De Rochemont used the story as the inspiration for Lost Boundaries. The film depicts prominent white stars Mel Ferrer and Beatrice Pearson in the leading roles without the presence of any African Americans. This fact shows that even in a story about a family who was black, Hollywood producers still felt it was necessary to have an exclusively white cast. Dr. Johnstonâs story and the film Lost Boundaries are examples of the strain that passing puts on family relationships and the measures African Americans who passed for white took to ensure their identities remained a secret.
For those who were not light-skinned enough to pass for white, many African Americans turned to other means of altering their skin tone. Oftentimes, even lighter-skinned actresses and actors would have to have their makeup done in a way to make them appear even lighter. While advertisements for race films promoted the fact that there would be an âall colored cast,â lobby card advertisements often made African American actors and actresses not only appear lighter skinned, but almost white. The action of something as simple as lightening an actorâs skin tone proved to have serious implications. As black-owned theaters grew, people across the country were exposed to these exaggerated films and advertisements. Many young children and teenagers of darker complexion began to think that it was âbad,â âevil,â or âdirtyâ to have dark skin, so some turned to harmful chemicals for the purposes of lightening their skin.
As white and a few lighter skinned actors and actresses were the stars of most Hollywood films in the early 1900s, darker skinned individuals had few opportunities to perform on screen. When they did, it was primarily to play on racist stereotypes and preconceived notions about black people. Lincoln Perry, considered by many to be the first African American movie star, is a prime example of how Hollywood often exploited darker skinned individuals to tell a false narrative of how all black people looked and acted. Perry was best known for his stage persona Stepin Fetchit, an incomprehensible, laughing, dancing fool. In real life, Perry was an intelligent man who used the demand for black foolishness and inferiority on the big screen to make a living.
Not every dark-skinned individual wanted or was able to pass for white. Many black actors and actresses, whether they wanted to be or not, were subjected to skin appearance alterations, including blackface. Blackface is the use of makeup to exaggerate skin tone and facial features used in the entertainment industry to present a stereotypical and racist image. In The Song of Freedom, a movie starring Paul Robeson, the use of blackface darkens the castâs skin tones throughout the film, including Robeson himself. The goal of these films was to portray African Americans as uncivilized, savage and comical beings.
As African American audiences grew tired of seeing themselves portrayed in such stereotypical and racist ways, they decided to take matters into their own hands. Between the 1910s and 1950s, African American movie theaters grew in popularity by featuring race movies. Race movies were produced for all black audiences and often featured an all-black cast. Race movies made it a priority to combat the stereotypical roles usually made available to black actors and actresses. Instead, they specialized in portraying black actors and actresses in a way that black viewers could actually relate to.
Oscar Micheaux, a pioneer in the race film industry, directed and produced over 40 feature films throughout his career, gaining support from black people across the country. Race movies such as The Homesteader by Micheaux depicted African Americans in a more realistic way. Micheaux founded the Micheaux Film and Book Company in 1918, to produce films focused on African American audiences. His most well-known films include Within Our Gates, The Exile and Lying Lips. Micheaux tackled race relations head-on in his films, but even he was criticized by other black Americans for preferring lighter skinned actors and actresses. Although he cast African Americans, many of the stars in Micheauxâs films were very fair skinned. While race films were still influenced by colorism, they did present a greater variety in the depictions of and opportunities for African Americans. The popularity of race films underscores how great the desire was for films showing realistic representations of African Americans.
I have always tried to make my photoplays present the truth, to lay before the race a cross section of its own life, to view the colored heart from close range. My results might have been narrow at times, due perhaps to certain limited situations, which I endeavored to portray, but in those limited situations, the truth was the predominant characteristic. It is only by presenting those portions of the race portrayed in my pictures, in the light and background of their true state that we can raise our people to greater heights.
Oscar Micheaux, Jan. 24, 1925
Philadelphia Afro-American
National Museum of African American History & Culture
Smithsonian
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A black-and-white photograph of six people in formal attire.
Collection Story
How the Camera Sees Color
Exploring Colorism and Identity in Early Hollywood Films
Stories
Blockbuster films and television series such as Black Panther and Luke Cage have renewed conversations about colorism and identity in Hollywood.
Colorism, the discrimination against individuals based on their skin tone, has long influenced the opportunities available to African Americans. In response to this discrimination, historically, African Americans often found alternate ways to present themselves. Some actors moved outside the mainstream film industry while others played into stereotypes. The creation of race movies for and by African Americans in the early 1900s sought to offer more complex narratives and roles. The various ways African Americans responded to discrimination shaped the early film industry and documented a legacy of unequal representation.
Lobby card with a man and woman looking at each other.
Lobby card for The Bronze Venus, 1943.
Colorism not only occurs in different racial or ethnic groups but can happen within them as well. Colorism differs from racism in that racism is based on beliefs about the racial inferiority of a group. Racism can include systemic inequality, prejudiced attitudes and discriminatory acts. Colorism is thought to only have negative implications for individuals of darker skin tone. However, lighter-skinned African Americans have been victims of colorism as well. The effects of colorism have proven to be damaging to the identity of black Americans by leading to internalized oppression in the black community. Moreover, the concept of identity, and how a person presents oneself in order to make a living, is not only an issue that has historically hindered black actors and actresses, but everyday black Americans as well.
The historic absence of African American actors and actresses in leading roles has been evident throughout the history of Hollywood films. When African Americans were cast, lighter skinned actors were preferred for more prominent roles. Roles for darker skinned individuals generally played on or amplified racist stereotypes. This placed both lighter and darker skinned African Americans in a situation where many felt as though they could not simply be black without being categorized. This identity crisis caused many lighter skinned African Americans to make attempts at passing for white in public settings in order to compete for more opportunities, which led to increased tensions in the black community.
Color lobby card with a woman feeding a chained man.
Lobby card for Tamango, 1958.
In Langston Hughesâ 1934 collection of short stories, The Ways of White Folks, one recurring theme is passing. When passing, black people with light skin tones would be considered as white based on their physical appearance. Passing became increasingly common during the Great Depression. In a stifled economy where it was difficult for whites to find jobs, African Americans found this task to be especially difficult.
In escaping the Jim Crow South, coming north and marrying my white father, she must have thought gaining white privilege was worth the price of losing family ties and her authentic self. The irony was that in gaining white privilege, in passing for white, the onslaught of racism was splayed open to her. Its ugly face could now be shared with her, a âwhiteâ woman who would understand and possibly agree.
Gail Lukasik, 2017
Author of White Like Her: My Familyâs Story of Race and Racial Passing
Some African Americans passed for white as a means to either provide for their families, make a decent living, or to get a glimpse of white privilege. In Langston Hughesâ The Ways of White Folks the narrator of the short story âPassingâ says, âMa, some white people certainly donât like colored people, do they? (If they did, then I wouldnât have to be passing to keep my good job)." He continues, âWhen I look at the colored boy porter who sweeps out the office, I think that thatâs what I might be doing if I wasnât light-skinned enough to get byâ (Hughes 52). While the stories in Hughesâ collection were fictional, they were certainly based on the experiences of African Americans in the United States at this time. The story of the Johnston family highlights the trials and tribulations of a family struggling with hiding their true identity in order to be accepted into white society.
Black and white photograph of men and women in formal clothes.
Photograph of the Johnston family, 1949.
The image above depicts Dr. Albert C. Johnston, his wife Thyra Johnston, and their four children. The 1949 movie Lost Boundaries, was based on the story of Dr. Johnstonâs life. Dr. Johnston, a biracial radiologist who graduated with honors from the University of Chicagoâs Rush Medical School, unintentionally passed for white in the 1930s. After completion of his postgraduate work, Johnston could not find a job that would hire African Americans. Eventually, he was hired at Maine General Hospital in Augusta, Maine, the only place that did not inquire about his race. When he realized his associates and co-workers believed he was white, he maintained the secret of his actual identity for over a decade. His wife, who was one-eighth black, understood her husbandâs predicament and kept his secret as well. In 1940, the United States Navy recruited Dr. Johnston but suspected him of having âcolored blood.â After Dr. Johnston admitted in the investigation to being partly black, the Navy refused him a commission. Stunned by the rejection, Dr. Johnson decided to tell his children about their background. However, this revelation did not impact the Johnson family's role in society. The family continued to live in New Hampshire where Dr. Johnson operated his medical practice into the 1960s.
Lobby card for Lost Boundaries.
Lobby card for Lost Boundaries, 1949.
We never intended to pass for white, it just happened accidentally.
Thyra Johnson
Albert Jr., Dr. Johnstonâs son, revealed his familyâs story to movie producer Louis de Rochemont a few years after he learned the truth from his parents. De Rochemont used the story as the inspiration for Lost Boundaries. The film depicts prominent white stars Mel Ferrer and Beatrice Pearson in the leading roles without the presence of any African Americans. This fact shows that even in a story about a family who was black, Hollywood producers still felt it was necessary to have an exclusively white cast. Dr. Johnstonâs story and the film Lost Boundaries are examples of the strain that passing puts on family relationships and the measures African Americans who passed for white took to ensure their identities remained a secret.
Scene from Lost Boundries when Dr. Johnson is informed that he cannot join the Navy because he is part black and he reveals this to his son.
For those who were not light-skinned enough to pass for white, many African Americans turned to other means of altering their skin tone. Oftentimes, even lighter-skinned actresses and actors would have to have their makeup done in a way to make them appear even lighter. While advertisements for race films promoted the fact that there would be an âall colored cast,â lobby card advertisements often made African American actors and actresses not only appear lighter skinned, but almost white. The action of something as simple as lightening an actorâs skin tone proved to have serious implications. As black-owned theaters grew, people across the country were exposed to these exaggerated films and advertisements. Many young children and teenagers of darker complexion began to think that it was âbad,â âevil,â or âdirtyâ to have dark skin, so some turned to harmful chemicals for the purposes of lightening their skin.
slide 1 of 3
Color advertisement.
Advertisement for Sweet Georgia Brown skin bleaching creams, ca. 1930.
Yellow round tin of Tan-off.
Tin for Madam C. J. Walker's "Tan-Off," 1920s.
Rectangular box with green text printed on it.
Package of African Formula Skin Lightening Cream, 2014.
As white and a few lighter skinned actors and actresses were the stars of most Hollywood films in the early 1900s, darker skinned individuals had few opportunities to perform on screen. When they did, it was primarily to play on racist stereotypes and preconceived notions about black people. Lincoln Perry, considered by many to be the first African American movie star, is a prime example of how Hollywood often exploited darker skinned individuals to tell a false narrative of how all black people looked and acted. Perry was best known for his stage persona Stepin Fetchit, an incomprehensible, laughing, dancing fool. In real life, Perry was an intelligent man who used the demand for black foolishness and inferiority on the big screen to make a living.
Not every dark-skinned individual wanted or was able to pass for white. Many black actors and actresses, whether they wanted to be or not, were subjected to skin appearance alterations, including blackface. Blackface is the use of makeup to exaggerate skin tone and facial features used in the entertainment industry to present a stereotypical and racist image. In The Song of Freedom, a movie starring Paul Robeson, the use of blackface darkens the castâs skin tones throughout the film, including Robeson himself. The goal of these films was to portray African Americans as uncivilized, savage and comical beings.
slide 1 of 3
Lobby card for The Song of Freedom.
Lobby card for The Song of Freedom, 1936.
Lobby card for Intruder in the Dust.
Lobby card for Intruder in the Dust, 1949.
Lobby Card for Tamango.
Lobby Card for Tamango, 1958.
Poster for Ebony Parade, 1947. 2013.118.31
As African American audiences grew tired of seeing themselves portrayed in such stereotypical and racist ways, they decided to take matters into their own hands. Between the 1910s and 1950s, African American movie theaters grew in popularity by featuring race movies. Race movies were produced for all black audiences and often featured an all-black cast. Race movies made it a priority to combat the stereotypical roles usually made available to black actors and actresses. Instead, they specialized in portraying black actors and actresses in a way that black viewers could actually relate to.
Oscar Micheaux, a pioneer in the race film industry, directed and produced over 40 feature films throughout his career, gaining support from black people across the country. Race movies such as The Homesteader by Micheaux depicted African Americans in a more realistic way. Micheaux founded the Micheaux Film and Book Company in 1918, to produce films focused on African American audiences. His most well-known films include Within Our Gates, The Exile and Lying Lips. Micheaux tackled race relations head-on in his films, but even he was criticized by other black Americans for preferring lighter skinned actors and actresses. Although he cast African Americans, many of the stars in Micheauxâs films were very fair skinned. While race films were still influenced by colorism, they did present a greater variety in the depictions of and opportunities for African Americans. The popularity of race films underscores how great the desire was for films showing realistic representations of African Americans.
I have always tried to make my photoplays present the truth, to lay before the race a cross section of its own life, to view the colored heart from close range. My results might have been narrow at times, due perhaps to certain limited situations, which I endeavored to portray, but in those limited situations, the truth was the predominant characteristic. It is only by presenting those portions of the race portrayed in my pictures, in the light and background of their true state that we can raise our people to greater heights.
Oscar Micheaux, Jan. 24, 1925
Philadelphia Afro-American
slide 1 of 3
Lobby card for Lying Lips.
Lobby card for Lying Lips, 1939.
Lobby card for Temptation.
Lobby card for Temptation, 1935.
Lobby card for The Betrayal.
Lobby card for The Betrayal, 1948.
While hundreds of race films were produced in the early 20th century, they were excluded from mainstream acclaim. Although African Americans responded in creative and resourceful ways to discrimination during this period, colorism in Hollywood remains a pressing issue well into the 21st century. Black actors and actresses still find it difficult to find suitable acting roles and opportunities. In the last few years, the discussion about colorism in the film industry has picked up pace across the nation. To understand the tension surrounding African Americans in the film industry and Hollywood, it is important to understand the history of this relationship. Productions such as Black Panther show that we have come a long way in race relations in the film industry, but we certainly have much more work to do.
Written by Kye Farrow, Robert F. Smith Fund intern
This song perfectly describes grieving , loss, folding yourself to be something you're not in an attempt to keep a person. It feels like a song about both defeat and acceptance.
It's such a beautiful written song. It makes me want to cry đđđ.
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