The Power of Black Beauty: A Revealing Journey of Revolutionary Artist Kwame Brathwaite

History has seen countless fascinating documentaries focusing on visual artists: Vivian Maier. Perhaps the documentary format naturally comes alive when displaying particularly vivid photographs. Today comes one more outstanding case, by filmmaker Yemi Bamiro, chronicling the remarkable career of Kwame Brathwaite—an artist, musician and African American activist who exemplified a unique cultural-activist vision.

In partnership with his family member Elombe, he pioneered the phrase “Black Is Beautiful” during the mid-century era by capturing the African American women in the cultural epicenter: young women of color who emerged as the sensational standard for beauty, rejecting typical beauty standards and the predominant Eurocentric standard of womanhood.

The Power of a Revolutionary Slogan

This powerful statement transformed into a radical call to action, an visionary memorable declaration for transformation. Just declaring that African Americans radiated beauty proved to be a liberating power in art, politics and creative expression. The artist emerged as a key figure in the civil rights African diaspora struggle by documenting Muhammad Ali leading up to his historic championship fight in the seventies.

He served as the primary visual documentarian for the Jackson 5's African tour, and later became the resident artist for the historic cultural institution, building an extraordinary archive of black musicians. In collaboration with Elombe, he emerged as the central figure behind securing the South African leader to appear in the community.

Family Legacy

His son his namesake recounts the personal mission to achieve appropriate credit for his parent's achievements after he was unjustly ignored in Washington DC's cultural museum, opened by the former president in recent years.

The feature additionally explores the deeply tragic inspiration of the artist's interest in photography: the disturbing photographs of Emmett Till, the adolescent civil rights tragic figure whose bereaved parent courageously demanded an uncovered casket so the horrific reality of racist violence might not be hidden.

From Tragedy to Hope

From this vision of violence, the artist found a form of anti-epiphany that directed him toward photographs of beauty. His photographs were eloquent of celebratory strength and often subtle in messaging: he curated a new iconography of strength around which political movements could gather.

It is an exhilarating record of cultural impact that persists in empower through the years.