Black Is… Black Ain’t poster

A personal journey through Black identity

Black Is… Black Ain’t

5.8 / 10 5.8 1995 1h 27m
Documentary

African-American documentary filmmaker Marlon Riggs was working on this final film as he died from AIDS-related complications in 1994; he addresses the camera from his hospital bed in several scenes. The film directly addresses sexism and homophobia within the black community, with snippets of misogynistic and anti-gay slurs from popular hip-hop songs juxtaposed with interviews with African-American intellectuals and political theorists, including Cornel West, bell hooks and Angela Davis.

Directed by Marlon Riggs

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VISUAL NOTES

Stills from Black Is… Black Ain’t

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CAST

The people behind the story

Marlon Riggs
Marlon RiggsSelf
Angela Davis
Angela DavisSelf
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bell hooksSelf
Essex Hemphill
Essex HemphillSelf
Cornel West
Cornel WestSelf
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Maulana KarengaSelf
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Barbara SmithSelf
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Michele WallaceSelf
Curated collection

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