Useful and Comprehensive

S. Torriano and Venise T. Berry’s Historical Dictionary of African American Cinema provides readers with a useful and comprehensive discussion about the development of African American cinema in the United States. The book is comprised of two sections. The first consists of a short (eighteen page) narrative introduction, which provides a historical overview of African American cinema from the early days of film until the present day. This narrative begins with a discussion about the earliest film depictions of African Americans and the various demeaning stereotypes that constituted the bulk of the characters played by African American actors in these nascent days of the motion picture industry.

This relationship—between black actors and mainstream motion pictures—is in turn juxtaposed with a discussion about how independent African American filmmakers sought to use film as a genre which presented honest and realistic portrayals of African American life and history. The narrative then proceeds forward in chronological fashion, discussing the historical development of African American cinema. This discussion highlights different positive developments such as the box office successes of various African American actors and the ability of filmmakers such as Spike Lee to craft realistic, high quality and critically acclaimed depictions of the African American experience. These successes are identified alongside certain persistent failures and setbacks, such as the lingering legacy of stereotyped characters and the exclusion of African Americans from the decision making process of the film industry.

The second section of the book consists of a series of alphabetized entries related to the various dimensions of the African American experience in films. These range from brief biographical discussions about different actors, directors and personalities, to analyses of important films, to discussions about certain themes and topics such as stereotypes and film genres. Generally these entries are rather short and fairly descriptive, although the thematic entries are lengthier and more analytical. For example, the entry called “stereotype” identifies nine common stereotyped characters typically played by African-Americans in films. These stereotypes are described and representative films and characters that illustrate them are cited.

The Historical Dictionary of African American Cinema is a useful and valuable resource that makes an important scholarly contribution. Though short, the introductory section provides an important discussion about the role and evolution of African Americans in film. It also skillfully connects this history to wider historical and cultural issues that impacted the country as a whole. Thus, changes impacting the status of African Americans in film are mirrored by and connected to general trends in American history.

This introductory history provides a valuable and highly readable overview about African American cinema. The second half of the book is comprehensive in terms of the topics addressed and is a useful reference tool and scholarly resource. It serves as a means for readers to identify important themes and issues that could be investigated in more detail. It gives readers a sense of the depth and richness of the African American presence in films and their important role in shaping American culture and values. Overall, the book is well written and researched and makes an important scholarly contribution.