Turner Classic Movies (TCM), the cable destination for the best in old movies, has once again produced a brand new "Spotlight" series: The Black Experience on Film. Previous installations of the series have explored the Hispanic, Asian, and Native American identities in Hollywood history. This time the focus of exploration is on the African American Identity as presented on celluloid Tuesdays and Thursdays in September at 8PM.
The African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) is an important partner in bringing this comprehensive month-long showcase to the TCM audience. Thirteen members of the AAFCA
from print, online and broadcast outlets throughout the country will host the special prime time programming Tuesdays and Thursdays all month long in September beginning on the 4th.
The Black Experience on Film provides a wide-ranging retrospective of thirty-two seminal films from the 1920s through the 1990s including the films of ground breaking director Oscar Micheaux's
1920 film, Within Our Gates to Julie Dash's 1991 independent sleeper hit, Daughters of the Dust. Each episode will focus or specific aspects such as Black Coming of Age films, Black Romance films, Black Musicals, Black Comedies Strong Black Women, and more.
Insightful commentary will be provided by some of the nation's most prominent film critics, courtesy of the AAFCA, with the aim to tell a contextualized and curated story of The Black Experience on Film. Since The legacy of African Americans in cinema often goes untold, TCM and the AAFCA hope that the thirty-two films presented will engage, entertain and enlighten viewers by the sheer diversity and breadth of this substantial arc of film programming. If this TCM Spotlight is anything like the previous installments, I have no doubt that this goal will reach its goal, and then some. Enjoy!