Black Movie History in Chicago: Cinematic Milestones and Sacred Grounds
Thu, Feb 20
|Oak Park Public Library
Explore Black film history in Chicago through select movies and sites that connect them
Time and Location
Feb 20, 2025, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM CST
Oak Park Public Library, 834 Lake St, Oak Park, IL 60301, USA
About
The first half of this program considers Something Good—Negro Kiss, a silent film that depicts, what is believed to be, the first onscreen kiss by an African American couple. The movie has deep roots in a nineteenth-century Chicago studio, the remnants of which you'll get to visit via HD video.
Chicago's cinematic legacy extends beyond that studio, of course.
In the second half of this program, you'll learn about Burr Oak Cemetery and its significance to Black history here in Chicago and beyond. And again, through HD video, you'll get to explore the cemetery's hallowed grounds, as you hear about the groundbreaking films Cooley High (1975) and Boyz n the Hood (1991).