AUTHOR WIL HAYGOOD IS A NATIONAL TREASURE COLORIZATION, HIS LATEST BOOK, IS A MUST-READ
By Steve Wright
Wil Haygood is one of America’s finest writers.
With each book, his storytelling grows more confident. His way with words that much more enticing and entertaining.
In addition to being an outstanding newspaper journalist with the Boston Globe and Washington Post, Haygood has produced several biographies of African Americans. Some super famous, some less known but an essential part of American History.
Sammy Davis Jr., Sugar Ray Robinson, Thurgood Marshal, Adam Clayton Powell Jr. and others have been profiled by Haygood, who is an African American.
While he has done some collaborative projects, plus a loving memoir to the Columbus, Ohio family that he grew up in, this is Haygood’s first book that looks at a famous subject more than an individual. Though all of his books tell a much greater context of an era, its challenges and triumphs — through the lens of biography.
Colorization — One Hundred Years of Black Films in a White World, is not a book solely focused on racism. But racism in the film industry resonates all through the book. And spoiler alert: institutional and obscene racism didn’t end during World War II, during the great 1960s Civil Rights Movement, not with the rise of Spike Lee and frustrating — not well into the 21st century.
Bigotry might not be as overt as the KKK glorifying Birth of a Nation (and the racist president who adoringly screened it in the White House), but it lingers.
We are introduced to the pioneering Oscar Micheaux, a true Renaissance man and pioneering Black filmmaker. Suffice to say, his brilliance is largely lost to the cinematic world — until Haygood dedicates a chapter and several references to the brilliant, but unheralded man.
We recount the triumphs of Poitier and Belafonte, but learn again and again that they were icons on an island. That decade after decade of promises of more roles for talented Black actors — is met with doors slammed shut, hopes dashed, roles remaining stereotypical and talent ignored.
Haygood’s Washington Post reporting on the election of Barrack Obama and its impact on a Black butler who served several presidents, became a major film — Lee Daniel’s The Butler, with starring roles for veteran Black actors.
Yet throughout the book, Haygood chronicles Black actors and production geniuses being left out of nominations for Academy Awards. And when they are nominated, they often lose out on the Oscar — even if their film wins a Golden Globe, recognition from countless American and foreign film festivals and was a darling of the critics.
Haygood demonstrates the paltry number of Blacks that are involved in cinema — be they studio executives, production crew or voting members of the Academy.
Haygood’s master story telling is filled with triumph and tragedy. You read about breakthrough Black actors, Black directors who got their movies made against all odds.
But all too often, one reads about bias, if not overt racism that still exists. And this is in a creative industry, one famed for stars that take progressive, liberal and risky political and social stands.
Along with the well-researched history, the giving a voice to Black talent long-forgotten, Haygood challenges the reader.
At the conclusion of Haygood’s 464-book, we are left wondering. We are past slavery and official Jim Crow. The Civil Rights Movement was a half century ago. But even headlong into the 21st century, why is so much brilliant Black talent — from movie stars to directors to technical and production crews — still frequently on the outside looking in?
Steve Wright, an award-winning writer, has published thousands of articles on diversity, equity, inclusion + accessibility. Visit his daily blog at urbantravelandaccessibility.blogspot.com. Follow his 17,000 tweets @stevewright64
