History has seen countless engaging documentaries focusing on photographers: Vivian Maier. It could be cinematic storytelling naturally comes alive when presenting exceptionally powerful visual compositions. Now comes one more exceptional instance, directed by creator Yemi Bamiro, chronicling the extraordinary professional journey of Kwame Brathwaite—an artist, musician and social justice champion who exemplified a distinct cultural-activist perspective.
Alongside his brother Elombe, he pioneered the slogan “Black Is Beautiful” throughout the 1960s by capturing the Harlem models in Harlem: young women of color who transformed into the groundbreaking template for aesthetics, moving beyond conventional cosmetic products and the predominant Eurocentric standard of womanhood.
The Impact of Three Words
The iconic phrase transformed into a powerful call to action, an visionary memorable prose poem for progress. Just stating that black people possessed beauty emerged as a liberating power in art, social movements and culture. The photographer grew into part of the Black power pan-Africanist movement by documenting the legendary boxer leading up to his legendary Zaire bout in 1974.
He was appointed the official image creator for the band's African tour, and later became the official visual chronicler for the historic cultural institution, assembling an incredible archive of musical pioneers. Alongside his brother, he emerged as the central figure behind arranging for the South African leader to appear in New York.
Family Legacy
His son Kwame Jr is interviewed the their mission to achieve appropriate credit for his family heritage after he was painfully overlooked in the nation's capital's cultural museum, inaugurated by Barack Obama in 2016.
The feature also recounts the profoundly sorrowful genesis of the photographer's interest in image making: the horrendous photographs of the lynching martyr, the teenage African American lynching victim whose bereaved parent boldly requested an uncovered casket so the violent nature of racial hatred could not be hidden.
Through Darkness to Beauty
From this vision of horror, the visionary discovered a form of transformative realization that guided him toward images of community. His photographs beautifully expressed celebratory strength and often not overtly political: he established a innovative iconography of empowerment upon which activist groups could gather.
The documentary stands as an captivating record of cultural impact that continues to inspire through the years.
