Black Entertainment History at the Academy Museum

While in Los Angeles last summer, we decided to spend half a day exploring the city before moving from our hotel at Universal Hollywood to our one in Anaheim. We spent half the day at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, which is amazing if you love movies.

Not only do they have a whole exhibit dedicated to The Godfather movies, but they also have one of the surviving prop sharks Bruce from Jaws. There's even a large portion of an exhibit that celebrates the movie Casablanca.

The best temporary exhibit, of the few they have in their 3 floors of art, was one called Regeneration, an exhibit of Black entertainers through history, much of which included a lot of racist tropes and images. If that is too much for you, this exhibit may not be for you, but I greatly appreciated the story of where Black entertainers started and how they defied the odds to become stars, against all odds.

click on this pic for full res - all of these people deserve all the recognition

There is a whole wall of entertainers that performed in something called "soundies", which were 3-minute musical films that were projected on a machine that looked like a jukebox, but was more like a TV. Between 1940 and 1947, businesses that owned a Panoram machine got 8 new soundies shipped to them to be played on their machines. Each week they would get new ones, and though soundies that featured Black stars were put at the end of the reels, it was still great exposure for them to be seen by a wider audience beyond clubs where they may only been seen otherwise.

Balcony Seating Only, by Gary Simmons

You'll find some artwork interspersed with film posters, costumes, and other props, like the above sculpture that is an actual staircase that was inspired by a photo of a segregated theater in Alabama. It is part of his series of "erasure paintings", and serves of a reminder of spaces that divided along race lines and isolated Black spectators and even performers from others. I included another piece of artwork in my last post. A piece that that speaks of the racial disparities during the Civil Rights era, by using denim, wood, and firehose. At the time, Black people were being sprayed with fire hoses, while white people were dancing shoeless, so as not to scuff wooden floors of the school gym floors. The denim represents the overalls worn by the students involved in the civil rights struggles. 

There's an entire section devoted to Miss Josephine Baker, who moved to Paris to fulfill her dream of becoming a bigger star than she was able to become in America. The awards section extends up here, too. You can see Sidney Poitier's award as the first Black person to win an Academy Award for Best Actor. There's a small tribute to Hattie McDaniel, who played the part of Mammy in Gone With the Wind. She went from playing vaudeville with her family to moving to Los Angeles and becoming the first Black actor to win a competitive Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.

I watch a lot of old movies, but through this exhibit, I found out about a lot of movies I'd never even heard of. There was even a big portion on blacksploitation films. I've heard of some and watched some as well, but learned quite a bit about why they are important and was able to sit down and watch a portion of some of the movies that were crucial to the movement. The director Melvin Van Peebles made quite a few influential films during the 60s and 70s.

an outfit worn by Sammy Davis Jr

zoot suits worn in Stormy Weather

If you are like me and enjoy historical textiles and costumes, you'll find a lot of these at the Academy Museum. The Regeneration exhibit had a few, like these amazing costumes above. 

Also in the main exhibits, you can still see props/costumes from some of Hollywood's biggest Black entertainers, including Halle Berry's Oscar dress from 2002. Though she's had so many iconic looks, this is the dress you immediately think of when you think of the Halle Berry look. Also on display is a baseball uniform worn by Richard Pryor and facial prosthetics worn by Zoe Saldana. 

I found the permanent exhibits just as interesting as the rotating ones and I could have easily spent several more hours there, reading about each Academy Award and watching more acceptance speeches. Make sure to plan for at least 3 hours. If you spend less time there, you an eat at the restaurant on-site, which I thought was quite good, or hit up the Los Angeles County Museum of Art nearby. There are plenty of outdoor places to eat right outside as well, and you can park in the garage for a fee, so you aren't driving in circles looking for street parking.

While you may not be able to visit this particular exhibit on Black entertainment history, you never know what you may find at museums of all kinds on your travels. I'm almost always pleasantly surprised when I visit museums, so I definitely encourage you to give different ones a chance before deciding it's not going to be fun or interesting.

Tell me your favorite awards speech(es) from the shows you've watched over the years.

Apps to Learn Black History On Your Travels

I don't know about you, but I try to support and learn about local businesses in my home city and wherever I travel. I want small businesses to succeed and in particular Black-, Asian-, and women-owned businesses are at the top of that list. I seek those out at home and when I'm when I'm on vacation, so I know my money is going into the local economy instead of some big conglomerate. I also like to be entertained and learn new things, and download great podcasts for my plane ride.

Some Remember Sock Hops, Others Remember Riots by artist Theaster Gates

For Black History Month, let's talk about the apps that can help you find Black businesses, learn more about Black History, and celebrate Black culture:

EatOkra

This app features Black-owned restaurants and eateries. It's how we've found amazing places to eat near home and also close to accommodations when we've traveled. It's not exhaustive, but it's pretty good and worth the space it occupies on my phone. Bonus: you can get more Black-owned restaurant recommendations and learn when Black Restaurant Week is around the country on Black Restaurant Weeks. 

Adventurely

The app that helps travelers connect with others to share experiences while out in the world. While you can use it to find others who want to do the same tours or museums as you, there is a whole section called Global Black Diaspora History and Culture collection that allows you to learn more Black History on your travels and share those experiences with others who are also traveling at the same time.

Babbel

If you're hoping to travel to other countries to learn history and culture, you may want to learn the language spoken there. Limited to some of the most spoken languages in the world, Babbel can help you prepare for your trip. For example, there are lots of countries with large Black communities that speak Portuguese as a the official language. Just a few of these are Brazil, Angola, Mozambique, and Cape Verde.

A temporary exhibit at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures

More Than a Mapp

Wherever you go, you can find points of interest and historical markers for Black history. Set you location in the app and then you can use the interactive map to point you to important places and then learn about what makes them significant through words, links, photos, and videos. (So far this is only available for Apple devices.)

Airfordable

This app, by CAma Marfo, a Black entrepreneur, helps make travel easier and more affordable for you by allowing you to pay an up-front fee and then pay off your trip in installments, ensuring that your trip is paid for before you leave and you aren't left in travel debt and not being able to to again for a long time.

TravSolo

Chizoba Anyaoha wants everyone to travel, so they made this app to help you plan your solo travels more easily and help you connect with others, all while feeling safe and creating awesome memories. They know solo travel planning can be daunting, and almost half of people surveyed said that creating a good itinerary was the hardest part of travel. You choose your interests and TravSolo can help you plan a trip in as little as 3 minutes. Let friends and family follow your trip in real time and feel secure meeting up with new people who are also traveling solo and/or share your interests.

Blapp

This app, designed to help you find more black-owned businesses, was created by New York comedian Jon Laster. Discover restaurants, clubs, boutique shops and more where you can support the community either at home or away. You can also order items from black-owned businesses that sell everything from art to beauty products. 

Photo by Jessica Lewis on Unsplash

Black History Quiz

Got some time to spare? Test your knowledge and expand what you've already learned through quizzes. You can't move on until you get the correct answer, so you can easily learn what you don't know. What a great way to "waste" time.

Photo by Roman Kraft on Unsplash

The Root

Support Black writers by exploring the day's news in all genres, but also listen to podcasts, watch slideshows and more, right from your phone, all by prominent Black journalists that may give you a new perspective of current stories.

Photo by Trevor Vannoy on Unsplash

Honorable Mentions: National Parks App

While this app doesn't explicitly give you Black and African American historical information, the National Parks have been preserving Black history and stories for visitors. With over 400 parks, each having a rich backstory featuring Black culture and notable points in history, you can get outside and also learn more about this country's past with elevated multi-generational Black stories. Learn more on their website.

The podcast Fanti

Not an app, but part of an app you probably already have on your phone to listen to other podcasts you love. Fanti is a pop-culture podcast run by Black hosts who talk about fandom and other relevant topics that they enjoy, but effect the Black community and fans in an entirely different way than it's white audience (i.e. when you love the art, but the artist is problematic, or vice versa). The episodes are great for downloading and listening on long plane/train/car rides.

Other podcasts you might enjoy are Heat Rocks, Black People Love Paramore, and Minority Korner. Heat Rocks is hosted by two minorities, one a Black woman, who talk to guests about hot music right now. Black People Love Paramore features Sequoia Holmes talking to other Black people about things we don't think are that interesting to non-white people, like the show Boy Meets World, the band Fallout Boy, and tattoos. 

I hope some of these will help you travel more easily, plus educate yourself while having fun traveling. I know that they can really be a great addition to trips and help you fill in time with something educational, important, fun, or tasty. Minority Korner is hosted by self-proclaimed black nerd James Arthur M as he talks with other minorities about pop culture, news, media, and history. 

Share your favorite travel apps with us. Bonus points if they are Black-created or celebrate Black culture.

Where to Travel for Black History

Black History may get a whole month, but you can actually learn about Black History all year and traveling is a great way to do that. I've learned so much by just doing things I normally do on vacation: enjoying art, architecture, fashion, and food. 

If you're looking to specifically learn about Black History when you travel, there are great places to do so. 

Atlanta, Georgia - There are lots of things to do in Atlanta, including eat delicious food and walking along the river, but the city also played a large part in both the Civil War and the Civil Rights Movement. Auburn Avenue and Peachtree Street are famous streets in the city and you can find the majority of landmarks there. Auburn Avenue, famous for Black enterprise, has been called “the richest Negro street in the world.” APEX Museum gives you a look at Black contributions throughout America, Auburn Avenue Research Library is the first in the SE with research dedicated to the study or African-American culture and history, hit up the visitor center of Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Park before venturing out to explore, and The King Center not only houses the tombs of Dr. King and Coretta Scott King, but exhibits about Dr. King. Take a tour down the street at the birth home of MLK, Jr.

Charleston, South Carolina - Once America's largest slave port now is an exciting city with tons of history. The International African American Museum just opened last summer. It sits on the former Gadsen's Wharf, where almost half of enslaved people entered this country, and has been turned into a memorial garden. While you're in the city, plan to visit McLeod Plantation that is a Gullah-Geechee heritage site, the house of blacksmith Phillip Simmons, Charleston City Market, Cabbage Row - where freed slaves lived, and Old City Jail, the slave jail known as "Work House".

Indianapolis, Indiana - Though you wouldn't think of them first, Indianapolis has a rich history of early Black settlements, stops along the Underground Railroad, and those that helped make the city what it is today. They are still making their mark on the city through murals, restaurants, and even this Black woman-owned vegan winery. Head to Indiana Avenue, a historically Black neighborhood, which at one time was home to 33 jazz clubs, where jazz greats like Duke Ellington and Ella Fitzgerald and Nat King Cole performed.

New Orleans, Louisiana -  The Big Easy is steeped in Black history, both past and present. You'll find a long list of Black-owned restaurants run by some of the best chefs in the country. Visit the Louisiana Civil Rights Museum, take a historical walking tour, learn about Mardi Gras culture at Mardi Gras Indians, House of Dance and Feathers, and the Backstreet Cultural Museum, view Black art at The McKenna Museum, and check out Le Musée de f.p.c., a house museum dedicated to the legacy of free people of color. Visit Congo Square on a Sunday and enjoy some live music, and walk along the Mississippi to read markers regarding the slave trade and prominent Black New Orleanians. 

Washington, DC - I never really thought about our Nation's capital around the time we became an actual nation, but in 1800 just about a quarter of the residents were enslaved Africans, and by the year 1830, most of them were free people. As you stroll the National Mall, you'll find a ton of historical buildings and museums, but don't skip seeing the carousel, as it was one of the first places to get rid of segregation, which just so happened to coincide with King's I Have a Dream speech. His speech took place in front of the Lincoln Memorial, but you'll also find great places to learn about other Black history at the National Museum of African American History and Culture and The African American Civil War Museum, both of which offer free entry.

This is by no means a full list of places to visit on your travels, but some prominent cities where you can view a lot of important places in a few days or throughout a longer trip. Keep an eye on my Facebook and Instagram for more travel suggestions during the rest of Black History Month. 

Share your favorite city or cities for history, of all kinds, from your travels in the comments.