Description
On 4 July, 1910, in 100-degree heat at an outdoor boxing ring near Reno, Nevada, film cameras recorded-and thousands of fans witnessed-former heavyweight champion Jim Jeffries' reluctant return from retirement to fight Jack Johnson, a black man. After 14 grueling rounds, Johnson knocked out Jeffries and for the first time in history, there was a black heavyweight champion of the world. At least 10 people lost their lives because of Johnson's victory and hundreds more were injured due to white retaliation and wild celebrations in the streets. Public screenings received instantaneous protests and hundreds of cities barred the film from being shown. Congress even passed a law making it a federal offense to transport moving pictures of prizefights across state lines, and thus the most powerful portrayal of a black man ever recorded on film was made virtually invisible. This is but one of the hundreds of films covered in the Historical Dictionary of African American Cinema, which includes everything from The Birth of a Nation to Crash. In addition to the films, brief biographies of African American actors and actresses such as Sidney Poitier, James Earl Jones, Halle Berry, Eddie Murphy, Whoopi Goldberg, Denzel Washington, and Jamie Foxx can be found in this reference. Through a chronology, a list of acronyms and abbreviations, an introductory essay, a bibliography, appendixes, black-&-white photos, and hundreds of cross-referenced dictionary entries on actors, actresses, movies, producers, organizations, awards, film credits, and terminology, this book provides a better understanding of the role African Americans played in film history.
About the Author
S. Torriano Berry is associate professor at Howard University's Department of Radio, Television, and Film. He is an award-winning independent filmmaker who has created and produced the anthology series Black Independent Showcase and Black Visions/Silver Screen: Howard University Student Film Showcase for WHUT - TV 32, in Washington, D.C. Venise T. Berry is associate professor of journalism and mass communication at the University of Iowa. She is the author of three best-selling novels. In 2003, the Zora Neale Hurston Society honored Venise for her Creative Contributions to Literature.
Reviews
...especially useful... * The Big Reel, July/August 2007 *
Recommended for academic and school libraries as well as for larger public libraries because of its sweeping scope and as the only recent such encyclopedic overview available. * Library Journal, 5/1/2007 *
This resource would be an excellent addition to any African American and multicultural reference collection for any library and audience. Highly recommended. All levels. * CHOICE, November 2007, Vol. 45, No. 3 *
Berry and Barry devote considerable time and care to examining the lasting effects of various racisms on African American Cinema... Historical Dictionary of African American Cinema should...be high on the list of a library's desired acquisitions. * American Book Review *
...comprehensive overview of the genre. * American Reference Books Annual, March 2008 *
Hundreds of alphabetically arranged entries describe a wide variety of films portraying African Americans and offer brief biographies of the actors, actresses, producers, directors, and others who created them. Supplemental materials include an introduction, a chronology, and a list of winners of the NAACP Image Award. S. Torriano Berry (film, Howard U.) and Venise T. Berry (journalism and mass communications, U. of Iowa) are also the authors of The 50 Most Influential Black Films. * Reference and Research Book News, May 2007 *
This introduction history provides a valuable and highly readable overview about African American cinema. It gives readers a sense of the depth and richness of the African American presence in films and their important role in shaping American culture and values. Overall, the book is well written and researched and makes an important scholarly contribution. * Film & History: An Interdisciplinary Journal, Spring 2009 *
Book Information
ISBN 9780810855458
Author S. Torriano Berry
Format Hardback
Page Count 448
Imprint Scarecrow Press
Publisher Scarecrow Press
Weight(grams) 744g
Dimensions(mm) 220mm * 149mm * 35mm
About the Author
S. Torriano Berry is associate professor at Howard University's Department of Radio, Television, and Film. He is an award-winning independent filmmaker who has created and produced the anthology series Black Independent Showcase and Black Visions/Silver Screen: Howard University Student Film Showcase for WHUT - TV 32, in Washington, D.C. Venise T. Berry is associate professor of journalism and mass communication at the University of Iowa. She is the author of three best-selling novels. In 2003, the Zora Neale Hurston Society honored Venise for her Creative Contributions to Literature.
Reviews
...especially useful... * The Big Reel, July/August 2007 *
Recommended for academic and school libraries as well as for larger public libraries because of its sweeping scope and as the only recent such encyclopedic overview available. * Library Journal, 5/1/2007 *
This resource would be an excellent addition to any African American and multicultural reference collection for any library and audience. Highly recommended. All levels. * CHOICE, November 2007, Vol. 45, No. 3 *
Berry and Barry devote considerable time and care to examining the lasting effects of various racisms on African American Cinema... Historical Dictionary of African American Cinema should...be high on the list of a library's desired acquisitions. * American Book Review *
...comprehensive overview of the genre. * American Reference Books Annual, March 2008 *
Hundreds of alphabetically arranged entries describe a wide variety of films portraying African Americans and offer brief biographies of the actors, actresses, producers, directors, and others who created them. Supplemental materials include an introduction, a chronology, and a list of winners of the NAACP Image Award. S. Torriano Berry (film, Howard U.) and Venise T. Berry (journalism and mass communications, U. of Iowa) are also the authors of The 50 Most Influential Black Films. * Reference and Research Book News, May 2007 *
This introduction history provides a valuable and highly readable overview about African American cinema. It gives readers a sense of the depth and richness of the African American presence in films and their important role in shaping American culture and values. Overall, the book is well written and researched and makes an important scholarly contribution. * Film & History: An Interdisciplinary Journal, Spring 2009 *
Book Information
ISBN 9780810855458
Author S. Torriano Berry
Format Hardback
Page Count 448
Imprint Scarecrow Press
Publisher Scarecrow Press
Weight(grams) 744g
Dimensions(mm) 220mm * 149mm * 35mm
