Migrating to the Movies: Cinema and Black Urban Modernity

by Jacqueline Stewart

The rise of cinema as the predominant American entertainment around the turn of the last century coincided with the migration of hundreds of thousands of African Americans from the South to the urban "land of hope" in the North. This richly illustrated book, discussing many early films and illuminating black urban life in this period, is the first detailed look at the numerous early relationships between African Americans and cinema. It investigates African American migrations onto the screen, into the audience, and behind the camera, showing that African American urban populations and cinema shaped each other in powerful ways.

Focusing on Black film culture in Chicago during the silent era, Migrating to the Movies begins with the earliest cinematic representations of African Americans and concludes with the silent films of Oscar Micheaux and other early "race films" made for Black audiences, discussing some of the extraordinary ways in which African Americans staked their claim in cinema's development as an art and a cultural institution.

Genres: History, Film

368 pages, Paperback

First published February 26, 2005

Reviews

[Creolecat · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

[Ayanna Dozier · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Migrating to the Movies: Cinema and Black Urban Modernity, Jacqueline Stewart presents a detailed, rigorous analysis and research on how the Great Migration in the United States affected and contributed to Black cinema-watching. With a specific concentration on Chicago, Stewart analyzes how the terrain of the cinema, that is the commute, location, space, screen, environment, and actual film was heavily affected by anti-Black racism and how such racism contributed to the policing of all of the above by “higher-classed” Black “respectable” individuals. Although Stewarts details how racist acts on the trolley and the theater affected Black individuals, the crux of her argument lies in the use of respectability politics and enforcement of respectable standards by Black individuals. Through her focused study, Stewart demonstrates how leisure, specifically cinema-watching, was a contested activity by Black individuals. Such contestation considers the space of the theater, the content of the film, the location of the theater, etc. These factors were taken into consideration as Black individuals did not want the appearance of their leisure activities to be associated with crime, or less respectable environments and activities such as sex work, alcohol, promiscuity, etc. In this way, Stewart can convincingly argue how cinema is an experience that considers factors not related to the actual film screened. Moreover, through such detailed analysis, Stewart is able to address the need and demand of Black-owned social spaces and communities as ways to distance themselves from anti-Black racism of the city. Despite these numerous racial struggles that city environment had for Black individuals, Stewart asserts that many felt that the conditions were more favorable compared to Jim-Crow segregation and racist conditions in the South. Migrating to the Movies is truly a marvelous read and well-researched book.

[Leigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stewart is an important new voice in early film history and black cinema studies. She expertly weaves dense film theory with archival research and has something compelling to say as a result. I'm particularly taken with her notion of "reconstructive spectatorship." I've taught sections of this book but I've also read it for my own edification and enjoyment.

[Shawn Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jacqueline Najuma Stewart's Migrating to the Movies: Cinema and Black Urban Modernity is a great starting place for anyone interested in learning about African American experiences with and in silent film. Migrating to the Movies is a treasure trove of black voices, experience, and history. While it is meant to be an academic exploration of African Americans in silent film, it is written in an approachable style for most readers. For anyone that is actively seeking to watch more African American directed and produced classic films, Stewart's book will provide key contextual background to better understand the limitations faced by black race film production and the influence these films had on American culture and art. Reading this book has been an excellent companion as I've sought out more early African American films, providing me with more films to check out and more context that allows me to better understand the history behind these films.

For a more in-depth review visit: http://theeverydaycinephile.com/artic...

[Amy]

Thought I needed it for a class but was wrong. Would like to read it soon-ish.