The Black Contribution: Literature and Theatre(1978)

Check the "Where to Watch" section above for current streaming platforms, rental options, and purchase links for The Black Contribution: Literature and Theatre (1978).

The Black Contribution – Literature and Theater 1978 is a rare documentary highlighting the voices and cultural impact of African American writers and performers during the civil rights era. Introduced by NAACP leader Benjamin Hooks and narrated by Roscoe Lee Brown, the film weaves together dramatic readings, theatrical excerpts, and candid urban street footage. Margaret Walker’s poem For My People is performed alongside scenes of daily Black life in New York City — children playing, families on stoops, open fire hydrants, and the realities of poverty in 1970s neighborhoods. James Baldwin appears in interview footage, while signs for his play The Amen Corner and stage excerpts from Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun underscore the powerful presence of Black voices in American theater. With rare shots of Harlem life, literature, and performance, this film documents the enduring contributions of African American artists to U.S. culture and history.

The Black Contribution: Literature and Theatre was directed by Unknown and released in 1978. It is a documentary, history film.

The Black Contribution: Literature and Theatre has a runtime of 0 hours and 11 minutes (11 minutes total).

The cast of The Black Contribution: Literature and Theatre includes Roscoe Lee Browne as Narrator, James Baldwin as Himself.