“Hollywood Shuffle” is a 1987 satirical film directed by Robert Townsend that uses comedy to provide commentary on the stereotypical roles and portrayals of Black people in film and television. Bobby Taylor (Townsend) is an aspiring actor living with his family and working at a hot dog stand while hoping for his big break. He goes through the process of auditioning for the lead role in “Jivetime Jimmy’s Revenge” excited about the idea of becoming a big star and the money and changes it will bring for his family. But the experience also exposes him to the industry’s prejudiced beliefs about Black people and leads to questions about his morals and integrity.
Noire Histoir Posts
If you’re interested in learning about the fourth Black cadet to graduate from West Point who went on to become the commander of the Tuskegee Airmen and the first Black general in the US Air Force, then my Benjamin O. Davis Jr. Black History Facts profile is for you.
“The Lynching: The Epic Courtroom Battle That Brought Down the Klan” by Laurence Leamer details the racially motivated of Michael Donald and the criminal and civil trials that followed. In 1981, two White men abducted and tortured the teen in retaliation for another local case that had resulted in two mistrials. Along with other members of the local chapter of the KKK, they felt that if Black people could serve on juries and thus allow a Black man to kill a White man and live, the reverse should also be fair. Their decision to hunt down and murder Donald would have a tremendous impact on the organization’s financial well-being and thus existence.
If you’re interested in learning about the deadliest riot in American history which was caused in part by a military draft and fears of job competition from emancipated slaves, then my New York Draft Riots Black History Facts profile is for you.
A review of “Till”, a 2022 new release directed by Chinonye Chukwu about the lynching of Emmett Till and his mother’s fight to get justice for his murder.