Music and Film

4

Music and Film4

Fredi Washington (center) and Duke Ellington and his band in Black and Tan (1929). Core Collection, Production Files, Margaret Herrick Library, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

Fredi Washington (center) and Duke Ellington and his band in Black and Tan (1929). Core Collection, Production Files, Margaret Herrick Library, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

Theme Overview

The transition from silent to sound film in the late 1920s offered new opportunities to African American actors, dancers, singers, and musicians–many scouted from Harlem’s vibrant nightclub scene. Novel technologies like the “soundie” and growing international media markets brought with them expanded career horizons even as the range of characters and storylines available to Black talent outside of musicals remained limited. Highlighting the achievements of icons such as Duke Ellington and Hazel Scott, the “Music and Film” gallery illustrates how some performers navigated this changing landscape and found consistent work on and off the screen.

Featured Essay
Essays

Stars & Icons5

Scroll To Explore