We have witnessed many fascinating documentaries focusing on image makers: Tish Murtha. Perhaps cinematic storytelling naturally comes alive when presenting particularly vivid photographs. Now we have a new exceptional example, by filmmaker Yemi Bamiro, documenting the remarkable career of Kwame Brathwaite—a photographer, musician and civil rights advocate who exemplified a unique politico-aesthetic perspective.
Alongside his brother Elombe, he virtually invented the slogan “Black Is Beautiful” during the sixties by documenting the African American women in Harlem: young Black women who emerged as the transformative template for visual appeal, abandoning typical cosmetic products and the usual Eurocentric model of female beauty.
The Impact of Three Words
This powerful statement evolved into a powerful rallying cry, an inspired memorable prose poem for change. Simply declaring that black people were beautiful became a empowering power in culture, politics and creative expression. Brathwaite grew into integral to the civil rights pan-Africanist movement by documenting Muhammad Ali prior to his iconic championship fight in 1974.
He served as the official image creator for the Jackson 5's continental journey, and later assumed the role of the official visual chronicler for the legendary cultural institution, building an amazing collection of musical pioneers. Alongside his brother, he was the central figure behind bringing the South African leader to appear in Harlem.
Family Legacy
The photographer's offspring his namesake recounts the family's campaign to achieve proper recognition for his parent's achievements after he was painfully excluded in the nation's capital's National Museum of African American History and Culture, inaugurated by Barack Obama in recent years.
This documentary also recounts the profoundly sorrowful genesis of Brathwaite's interest in visual storytelling: the horrendous photographs of the young victim, the young civil rights lynching victim whose bereaved parent boldly demanded an open coffin so the brutal truth of racial hatred could not be concealed.
Amidst Sorrow to Hope
Through this representation of horror, the visionary discovered a form of profound understanding that guided him toward photographs of community. His images powerfully conveyed community pride and frequently nuanced in approach: he developed a innovative iconography of pride upon which activist groups could unite.
It is an exhilarating chronicle of cultural impact that continues to empower across generations.
