Louis Armstrong’s Trumpet, Sammy Davis Jr.’s Suit and More Must-See Pieces at the Academy Museum’s ‘Black Cinema’ Exhibit
variety.comRegeneration: Black Cinema 1898-1971 is not to be missed. Not only does the exhibition celebrate Black representation in film, it serves as an important reminder and lesson about the contributions of Black filmmakers and stars to the world of cinema.Opening Aug.
21, seven galleries make up the exhibit exploring Oscar Micheaux’s low-budget dramas in the silent-film era to the works of Melvin Van Peebles.The exhibition also introduces audiences to stars largely unknown to mainstream moviegoers — Ralph Cooper, Clarence Brooks and Francine Everett — alongside iconic screen legends Paul Robeson, Josephine Baker, Harry Belafonte, Sidney Poitier and Lena Horne.
Poiter’s Oscar for “Lillies of the Field” is just one of the many artifacts on display in this historic exhibition. Alongside the award are tap shoes worn by the Nicholas Brothers and one of Louis Armstrong’s trumpets.Before appearing in westerns such as “The Bronze Buckaroo” and “Harlem Rides the Range,” Herb Jeffries made his acting debut in 1937’s “Harlem on the Prairie.”Jeffries played Jeff Kincaid and was one of the first Black actors to sing Western music on screen.
Billed as “Black America’s first singing cowboy in the movies,” Jeffries could sing, act and ride a horse. “Harlem on the Prairie” was shot at the N.
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