African Americans and popular culture; 3v.

9780275989224

African Americans and popular culture; 3v.

Ed. by Todd Boyd.

Praeger

2008

789 pages

$300.00

Hardcover

E185

Their talent set them apart, but their sheer grit came from community. Editor Boyd (critical studies, cinema and television, U. of Southern California) and contributors describe how African Americans changed theater, film, television, sports and popular music, especially in the civil rights era. They analyze the impact of television on civil rights and vice versa, the politics of representation, early cinema in the Black community, African American women in film and sports, the breaking of the color barrier in baseball and tennis, urban cinema, contemporary independent filmmakers, the rise of the Black superstars and the influence of the African-American coach. Particularly interesting are the essays on Black influences in popular music such as jazz and blues, and a very perceptive essay on the influence of standup comics on the integration of African Americans into popular culture. Although the essays cover people, events and ideas that have been examined before, each takes a unique approach that fully explains the melding of Black and white cultures.

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