| Author Name: | Rhines, Jesse |
|---|---|
| Date: | 2003, Spring |
| Journal: | The Black Scholar |
| Volume: | 33:1 |
| Topic: | Race and Film |
| Pages: | 47-53 |
Blacks as depicted by Whites in films by Thomas Edison and in D.W. Griffith's Birth of a Nation, as well as literary works are examined in this article, and the question of who will define black identity and represent the black community is studied. Russell Simmons is exemplified as an individual who remains true to his roots in the black community while reaching beyond it to establish a new American multicultural environment. Participation in politics and Simmons' Hip-Hop Summit Action Network are considered avenues for empowerment and molding the future of those of African ancestry.