The Context of White Supremacy welcomes
The Professor Charles Woods. A black film historian and keynote lecturer, Mr. Woods deconstructs how “Hollywood uses the power of cinema to reinforce” the White Supremacist agenda. We’ll compare and contrast two films that depict black counter-violence: the late Sam Greenlee’s
The Spook Who Sat By The Door and Nate Parker’s The Birth Of A Nation. Both films were hampered during their theatrical runs. We’ll also discuss the burst of films displaying the
enslavement of black people. We’ll ask The Professor about how
diverse network television has become. Empire, The Walking Dead, Scandal, Luke Cage prominently showcase many black actresses and actors. Is this an improvement over fifty years ago? We’ll also discuss the influx of foreign-born black thespians being given acclaimed roles as celebrated African Americans – like David Oyelowo in Selma or Zoe Saldana in Nina.