There have been numerous engaging features about visual artists: Vivian Maier. Maybe cinematic storytelling naturally comes alive when showcasing remarkably striking still images. Today we have one more remarkable example, by writer-director Yemi Bamiro, documenting the extraordinary professional journey of Kwame Brathwaite—an artist, performer and civil rights advocate who exemplified a special artistic-political perspective.
Alongside his brother Elombe, he pioneered the slogan “Black Is Beautiful” in the 1960s by documenting the African American women in the cultural epicenter: young women of color who became the transformative template for beauty, rejecting typical beauty standards and the predominant Eurocentric ideal of womanhood.
The Impact of a Revolutionary Slogan
Black Is Beautiful evolved into a powerful rallying cry, an visionary three-word declaration for change. Simply stating that black people were beautiful became a empowering power in society, politics and creative expression. The photographer became a key figure in the social justice African diaspora struggle by capturing images of Muhammad Ali prior to his iconic Rumble in the Jungle in 1974.
He became the official photographer for the band's continental journey, and subsequently became the official visual chronicler for the legendary Apollo theatre, creating an extraordinary portfolio of African American artists. In collaboration with Elombe, he was the driving force behind securing the South African leader to appear in Harlem.
Historical Recognition
His son his namesake is interviewed the family's mission to secure appropriate credit for his father's legacy after he was unjustly excluded in the prestigious Smithsonian institution, established by the former president in this century.
This documentary additionally explores the profoundly sorrowful origin of the photographer's interest in photography: the disturbing images of the lynching martyr, the young Black lynching victim whose mourning family member defiantly demanded an uncovered casket so the brutal truth of bigoted brutality might not be covered up.
From Tragedy to Hope
In this vision of violence, the artist found a kind of anti-epiphany that guided him toward visual representations of community. His work powerfully conveyed empowering beauty and often subtle in messaging: he established a fresh visual language of empowerment around which political movements could gather.
The documentary stands as an exhilarating record of creative genius that persists in empower through the years.
