Black Film and Television Performance Across Hollywood Genres, 1950s–1990s

Black Cinema Photo Archive

Photograph

Unknown photographers, group of film and television press photographs, circa 1950s–1990s, documenting African American actors and performers across multiple decades of American cinema and broadcast media. The material operates in Cultural/Representational Mode, illustrating the evolution of Black screen representation through commercial film, television, and experimental media, with relevance to African American film history, performance studies, and media representation. The archive includes images of prominent figures such as James Earl Jones, Whoopi Goldberg, Yaphet Kotto, Sammy Davis Jr., Paul Winfield, Marlon Riggs, and John Witherspoon, alongside performers associated with Amos & Andy, one of the earliest nationally syndicated television programs featuring a Black cast. The photographs collectively provide visual evidence of shifting roles, genres, and narrative frameworks in which Black actors appeared from the mid-twentieth century through the end of the twentieth century.
Archive comprises 28 black-and-white silver gelatin press photographs, each approximately 8 x 10 inches. Images include film stills, promotional portraits, and behind-the-scenes moments. Identifiable scenes include Sammy Davis Jr. in Anna Lucasta (1958), a production featuring an all-Black cast; a still from Take a Giant Step (1959) with Johnny Nash, addressing race and adolescence; and Carl Anderson in Jesus Christ Superstar (1973) portraying Judas Iscariot. Additional photographs include Whoopi Goldberg in Fatal Beauty (1987), John Witherspoon in Ratboy (1986), and a still from Brubaker (1980) addressing prison conditions. One image shows Marlon Riggs with collaborators associated with Tongues Untied, an experimental work engaging Black queer identity during the AIDS crisis. Other photographs include Evaristo Márquez with Marlon Brando in Burn! (1969), a film centered on colonial revolt, as well as an image of dancers Mikhail Baryshnikov and Gregory Hines, documenting interracial collaboration in performance. The archive also contains images of Alvin Childress, Spencer Williams, and Tim Moore from Amos & Andy, situating the collection within earlier television history.
These photographs document the expanding presence of Black performers across genres including drama, musical, experimental film, and television, reflecting both constraints and opportunities within the entertainment industry over several decades. The inclusion of works addressing racial identity, colonialism, incarceration, and sexuality demonstrates the increasing complexity of narratives involving Black actors, while earlier material highlights the limited but significant visibility achieved in mid-century productions. The presence of experimental work such as Tongues Untied further situates the archive within late twentieth-century cultural and political discourse surrounding race and sexuality. Light wear with minor surface marks and edge wear; overall very good condition. A broad visual record of African American performance and representation across four decades of American media.

Item #21475

Price: $550.00