A Silver Screen of Their Own: Representations of Black Women in American Film

This thesis examines the following questions: Where does the Black woman as actress fit into this idea of artistry as survival and power? Acting is considered a craft, an art. But has the Black woman been able to find her own spirituality and beauty in this craft? Has she been empowered in Hollywood\u27s world of film? The film industry is the fantasy world of the white society. White men and to a certain extent white women can be anyone they want to be in movieland and the Black man or woman is their servant. The Black actor and actress are not allowed to live out their fantasy in film. They must relive the reality of oppression on the big screen. The Black woman could not be the rich heiress to a fortune, live in a big house or drive a fancy car. She could not even act human. Like any other objectified person in white dominated society, the Black woman must recreate the roles they were given and make them their own. Methodology includes film research