Now's the time for Black Hollywood to rise.

This is the time of year when theaters are flooded with Oscar contenders. Only a handful of films that will receive consideration have a black lead actor; even fewer were produced or directed by African Americans. So why hasn't Hollywood embraced black films despite their box office and critical successes? The commercial entertainment industry continues to be a hostile environment for African Americans--a place where our talents are exploited and our images distorted, and where white executives are still the only ones with green-lighting power.

But dawn has finally broken over the horizon with the advent of various technologies that are altering the industry. Websites such as MySpace, YouTube, and Tap It FAME are creating outlets for us to showcase our creations when and how we want. Improvements in recording technology are granting entree to those who wouldn't ordinarily have access to high-quality equipment. And other technological advances are opening doors for and ushering in a new generation of writers, directors, producers, and entertainers intent on controlling and protecting the way African Americans are portrayed.

Traditional distribution streams remain limited--Hollywood studios may cherry-pick only a few black films a year--but a new crop of entertainment mavericks are circumventing the establishment by forging other avenues into the business. To combat the lack of distribution outlets, Jeff Friday, founder and CEO of Film Life, spearheaded the creation of the American Black Film Festival (ABFF) to showcase black films and to attract distribution executives from major film studios. Friday took it a step further by brokering a deal with Warner Home Video to put DVDs of select ABFF movies in Wal-Mart and Blockbuster locations.

In this issue we look at some of the fresh faces that are finding ways to disseminate images of blacks that we can be proud of--not just through film but on Broadway, in music videos, in books, and on television. Some, like Steve Pamon of HBO, are using technology to reach consumers through cutting-edge distribution channels such as cell phones and iPods. Others, like Crystal McCrary Anthony and Shola Lynch, are using their business savvy and passion for telling our stories to produce films and documentaries independently. Ultimately, they are creating the means to get these images onto the silver screen, where they can be seen by millions.

"Although I'm a huge fan of black music and movies, I sometimes struggle with myself for patronizing projects latent with those age-old stereotypes--the sassy mammies and the no-good hoodlums--even though I know ultimately whites green-lighted these images," reveals News Editor Nicole Marie Richardson, who spent three months researching and writing "Reel Prophets." "I was passionate about introducing our audience to a group of Hollywood players that will shape positive and accurate images of blacks in all media well into the future."

Our cover subject, Laurence Fishburne, represents one of these revolutionaries operating outside the traditional Hollywood system. Akeelah and the Bee was produced through Fishburne's Cinema Gypsy production banner as an independent film. It is a rare example of a black drama void of violence, sex, and obscene language. Fishburne is part of the trend of actors turning to directing and producing--including Will Smith, Forest Whitaker, Whoopi Goldberg, and Denzel Washington--to gain greater control over their films and help introduce America to a new generation of black actors. Along with our 'Prophets,' these will be the pioneers shaping the new black Hollywood.

--The Editors