Black World Display

From 8 June 2005, Reading Room

To celebrate the launch of Black World, the bfi National Library was proud to present the first in a series of special displays focusing on the black moving image.

The display in the Library Reading Room from 8 June focued on three areas:

- Blackworld TV: Rap & Hip-Hop

- The bfi launch of Baadasssss!

- The work of Ousmane Sembene

Black World TV: Rap & Hip-Hop

Over the next 5 months the Library will be featuring items from its collections that focus on black music in film and television. In June it's rap and hip-hop, which includes such films as Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing, John Singleton's Boyz n the Hood and Mario Van Peebles' New Jack City.

The bfi launch of Baadasssss!

The re-telling of the making of Melvin Van Peebles' Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song.

In addition, the display drew from materials the Library holds on independent black cinema and the blaxploitation movies of the 1970s.

In addition, a NFT audiotape of an interview with Melvin Van Peebles is available in the Library's collection

The Work of Ousmane Sembene

The NFT showed a retrospective of Sembene's work including an extended run of his newest film, Moolaade.

The 82 year old, Senegalese director was also awarded a bfi fellowship at the beginning of June.

Look out for displays on soul and funk, jazz, blues and reggae in the coming months.

Further reading

• African American cinema reading list
• African cinema reading list
• Ousmane Sembene reading list

(Stills courtesy of bfi Stills, Posters and Designs)