Across the Tracks, a short film by Mike Cooke, tells the story of two young African-American sisters in Georgia during the racially charged 1960s. As fair-skinned sister Ella makes the conscious decision to pass for white when her school system becomes integrated, Across the Tracks begins to examine the complexities
With its multiple motifs and metaphorical concepts, it hardly comes as a surprise that Jordan Peele’s Get Out has inspired a college course. “The Sunken Place: Racism, Survival, and Black Horror Aesthetic” will be offered this fall at UCLA. Taught by My Soul to Keep author Tananarive Due, the course
A century of Jacob Lawrence calls for celebration, with today marking what would have been the painter and storyteller’s 100th birthday. Regarded as one of the most significant artists of the 20th century, Lawrence was well known for his contemporary and vibrant depictions of everyday life, heavily inspired by his
From Dee Rees’ critically acclaimed feature narrative debut Pariah to her Emmy Award-winning Bessie, expectations are soaring high for the talented filmmaker. And with her latest feature already receiving extraordinary acclaim both from Sundance and as an Oscar contender, there’s no question that Mudbound should be on your radar. Based
Based on a true story, Matt Ruskin’s Crown Heights documents Colin Warner’s inconceivable experience of spending 21 years behind bars for a crime he did not commit. In 1980, Brooklyn police charge Colin Warner (Lakeith Stanfield), a teenage immigrant from Trinidad, with murder. Crown Heights simultaneously shows Warner’s life in
With summer nearing an end, we’re packing away our beach reads and curling up by the campfire with these new and upcoming works of literature by Black women authors. From timely literary essays to lyrical prose and short stories, here are five diverse books to add to your reading list.
Marie-Denise Douyon, a Canadian fine artist with Haitian roots, began a life of migratory journeys. Growing up in North Africa, first in Algeria and then Morocco, her unique childhood experiences were meshed with distinctive artistic expressions and multicultural identities, which shaped her into the artist she is today. This drifting,
Critical Content, best known for Catfish and Startup, will develop a scripted drama series based on Manning Marable’s Pulitzer Prize-winning biography Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention. David Matthews will pen the script and executive produce, along with Tom Forman, Andrew Marcus, and Ray Ricord, all from Critical Content. A
Starz is teaming up with Common to develop a new action-drama program based on Marc Olden’s 1975 Black Samurai book series. Wu-Tang Clan’s RZA and CSI’s Jerry Bruckheimer will be executive producing, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Currently under development, the drama will follow Robert Sand (Common), a highly skilled American Army Ranger whose life is
N.K. Jemisin’s Hugo Award-winning science fiction fantasy novel The Fifth Season is currently being developed into a television series at TNT. Shortly following the announcement of Nnedi Okorafor’s Who Fears Death novel being adapted for television, the news is yet another exciting victory for black authors telling distinctive stories. The
