Blacks in American Films and Television: An Encyclopedia

by Donald Bogle

By Donald Bogle - 8x11" 510 pages profusely & historically photo illustrated. Copyright 1988, stated First Fireside Edition 1989, 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2, cover price $24.95, published by A Fireside Book - Simon & Schuster.

510 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1988

About the author

Donald Bogle is one of the foremost authorities on Black representation in films and entertainment history. His books include Running Press's Hollywood Black; the groundbreaking Toms, Coons, Mulattoes, Mammies, and Bucks; the award-winning Bright Boulevards, Bold Dreams; the bestselling Dorothy Dandridge: A Biography; and Brown Sugar, which Bogle adapted into a PBS documentary series. He was a special commentator and consultant for Turner Classic Movies’ award-winning series Race and Hollywood. Bogle teaches at the University of Pennsylvania and New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. He lives in Manhattan. — Running Press

Reviews

[Rabin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why aren't there more Donald Bogles around? He is the main person on the scene that's been chronicling our experience in the arts and entertainment, all the way up to today.

This particular book is, as it states, an encyclopedia of film and television featuring Black characters and story lines. I appreciate that he covers pioneering Black films and filmmakers from as far back as the 1920's. However, he also includes his own take on the not only the portrayal of Black characters, but his review of overall entertainment value (which I don't always agree with).

Good book for the history.........or popping open when your at Blockbuster or making your Netflix order.

[Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an interesting, exhaustive book with a sections on movies, television series, mini-series, and biographical sketches of notable actors. As a child I would flip through it and read about old movies. It's the reason why, to this day, a random Black movie I've never seen (like "The River Niger") will come on TV, and I'll recognize it. The writing is really good . . . and I still flip through favorite reviews (Sparkle, Good Times, etc.).

[Curtis J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an essential book for anyone who wants to learn more about the hardcore facts, and Bogle's insight, into how Black cinema and television inform how Black folks are portrayed in the media. The pictures are also so important as when this was first published, the internet did not exist. I first started reading this book at the library in 1991, and have owned my own copy (a first edition!) since 2001.