Black Theater: The Making of a Movement

114 minutes, 1978, United States

Producer/Director: Woodie King, Jr.

Black Theater: The Making of a Movement

Educational Streaming

Colleges, Universities, Government Agencies, Hospitals and Corporations

Streaming licenses for institutional use—ideal for education, training, and research.

Community Screening

Short-term use for small groups, organizations, or high school classes (under 100 participants-where no admission is charged).

Flexible options for educators, facilitators, and non-commercial screenings.

Home Viewing

48-hour personal streaming rental for in-home use only.

For individuals without institutional access.

Black Theatre: The Making of a Movement documents the birth of a new theatre out of the Civil Rights activism of the 1950s, '60s and '70s. It is a veritable video encyclopedia of the leading figures, institutions and events of a movement that transformed the American stage.

Amiri Baraka, Ossie Davis, James Earl Jones and Ntozake Shange describe their aspirations for a theatre serving the Black community. Excerpts of A Raisin in the Sun, Black Girl, Dutchman and For Colored Girls... reveal how these actors and playwrights laid the basis for the Black theater of the present.

About Woodie King, Jr. Founder and Director, New Federal Theatre

The Impact of Race -Book by Woodie King, Jr.

Black Theatre Association, Association for Theatre in Higher Education

Black Theatre Network and Conference

 "The Black Arts Movement," article by Kalamu ya Salaam
An extraordinary documentary...A must for every contemporary theatre course.
-- Margaret Wilkerson, University of California, Berkeley

"Brilliantly captures the essence, soul and spirit of the Movement...Required viewing."
-- Larry Hamlin, National Black Theatre Festival

An extraordinary documentary...A must for every contemporary theatre course. — Margaret Wilkerson, former Director, Center for Theatre Arts, U.C. Berkeley

Brilliantly captures the essence, soul and spirit of the Movement...Required viewing. — Larry Hamlin, National Black Theatre Festival

Black Theater: The Making of a Movement trailer image

Ways to Watch

Educational Streaming

Colleges, Universities, Government Agencies, Hospitals and Corporations.

Community Screening

Short-term use for small groups, organizations, or high school classes (under 100 participants, where no admission is charged).

Home Viewing

48-hour, personal rental for in-home use only, restrictions apply