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Abstract
The representation and involvement of African Americans in the film industry took a dramatic downturn following the demise of the blaxploitation cycle. With an average of over thirty black-focused films released per year between 1972 and 1976, narrative films featuring black stars or specifically targeting a black audience dwindled to only a handful of annual releases in the following decade due in large part to the changing film industry and a broader conservative shift in American politics. The supposed inroads of black artists in Hollywood during the 1970s largely evaporated, with the first group of black directors to work in Hollywood finding themselves shut out of the industry only a half-decade later. This dissertation charts the careers of the eight black directors who found a way to complete full-length features and secure commercial distribution in the decade following the blaxploitation cycle. Although they shared their struggles trying to carve out a space in an industry that was increasingly hostile to black involvement, the manner in which these eight directors navigated the industry varied widely, to say nothing of their personal and political sensibilities. This dissertation examines the multifaceted careers of Michael Schultz, Sidney Poitier, Jamaa Fanaka, Fred "the Hammer" Williamson, Richard Pryor, Prince, Gilbert Moses, and Stan Lathan, taking into account their differing approaches to filmmaking while also making a case for their shared legacy in shaping black popular culture in the 1980s and beyond.
