New York Noir: The History of Black New York (2008)

• 100% of users liked it
  (9 ratings)

Filmmakers explore New York's African-American citizens and culture from the dawn of the 1600s straight through to the first years of the new millennium in this critically acclaimed documentary. Long before the British, Irish, or Italians arrived in New York City, African-Americans were already… More Filmmakers explore New York's African-American citizens and culture from the dawn of the 1600s straight through to the first years of the new millennium in this critically acclaimed documentary. Long before the British, Irish, or Italians arrived in New York City, African-Americans were already helping to build what would later become one of the greatest cities in the entire world. The areas we now know as China Town, Greenwich Village, and Little Italy were then known as the "Negro Frontier." There, slaves and free men alike worked hard to build a city where every citizen would some day have equal rights. In addition to examining the social and cultural contributions of such renowned African-Americans as Malcolm X, Marcus Garvey, and Count Basie, this documentary also revels the remarkable impact that the Harlem Renaissance (1919-1930s) would have on the country's entire cultural spectrum and the advancement of society as a whole. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi