Black Is Beautiful: The Revealing Story of Game-Changing Photographer Kwame Brathwaite

There have been many compelling films highlighting photographers: Martin Parr. It could be the film medium naturally comes alive when presenting remarkably striking still images. Here arrives one more remarkable instance, directed by filmmaker Yemi Bamiro, documenting the extraordinary professional journey of Kwame Brathwaite—a photographer, artist and social justice champion who embodied a distinct artistic-political vision.

Together with his sibling Elombe, he pioneered the expression “Black Is Beautiful” during the mid-century era by photographing the African American women in Harlem: young Black women who emerged as the groundbreaking archetype for beauty, moving beyond traditional cosmetic products and the established white standard of womanhood.

The Impact of a Simple Phrase

The iconic phrase transformed into a powerful call to action, an brilliant concise manifesto for change. Merely declaring that African Americans radiated beauty became a transformative influence in art, social movements and culture. The artist grew into part of the social justice African diaspora cause by documenting the sports icon before his legendary Zaire bout in 1974.

He served as the official visual documentarian for the musical group's international performances, and eventually assumed the role of the resident artist for the legendary Harlem venue, creating an incredible collection of African American artists. Together with Elombe, he emerged as the driving force behind bringing Nelson Mandela to speak in New York.

Historical Recognition

Brathwaite's son his namesake is interviewed the personal quest to achieve proper recognition for his parent's achievements after he was unjustly ignored in Washington DC's National Museum of African American History and Culture, opened by Barack Obama in this century.

The feature additionally explores the profoundly sorrowful origin of the photographer's dedication to photography: the horrendous photographs of Emmett Till, the adolescent civil rights murder victim whose mourning family member courageously insisted on an uncovered casket so the horrific reality of racist violence would not be concealed.

From Tragedy to Hope

Through this vision of violence, the visionary found a form of profound understanding that guided him toward images of beauty. His work were eloquent of celebratory strength and typically not overtly political: he developed a new iconography of empowerment around which political movements could gather.

This represents an exhilarating record of creative genius that continues to empower across generations.