Members-Only Last Look: Act Black

Poster House members are invited to a private “Last Look” tour of the exhibition Act Black: Posters from Black American Stage & Screen. Starting in the 1880s, Black performers and those invested in telling stories centering Black people attempted to counter the dehumanizing and harmful stereotypes created by white people to portray Black characters. Since theatrical performances are rarely recorded and many of the movies that featured all-Black casts are now considered “lost films” (films where no copies are known to survive), advertising posters are sometimes the only remaining evidence of important productions made with Black talent between the 1870s and the 1940s. The posters in this exhibition provide a guide for viewers as they consider how Black storytelling was transformed in its transition from stage to screen. Join curator Es-pranza Humphrey for this private, members-only tour and learn more about the innovative efforts of Black writers, directors, and actors to represent… View Source