The mission of The Department of Afro-American Research Arts and Culture to identify the global significance of the creative contributions pioneered by an international diaspora of Blackness
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Thursday, December 8, 2016

Ballad In Blue (1965)



















Starring:


Storyline
Making his only major film appearance, legendary soul singer, musician and composer Ray Charles helps transform the lives of a blind boy and his widowed mother in this poignant, uplifting film drama set in mid-1960s London. Presented in a brand-new High Definition transfer from the original film elements showing the maximum filmed picture area, Ballad in Blue sees Charles who had lost his sight completely by the age of eight performing some of his best-loved songs, including I Got a Woman, Hit the Road, Jack and Busted.

During a performance for blind children, global star Ray Charles befriends David, a young boy who has recently lost his sight, and tries to help him come to terms with his condition. Then, during a world tour, Charles finds himself in Paris, where a surgeon is pioneering a radical procedure that could restore David's sight; he sets out not only to convince David's over-protective mother to allow her son to undergo the surgery, but also to reconcile her with her boyfriend, a struggling composer who seeks solace in alcohol.

Wednesday, December 7, 2016

The Joe Louis Story (1953)














































Starring:

This biographical drama tells the story of the "Brown Bomber's" rise from his impoverished childhood to his incredible rematch with Max Schmeling when Louis won the World Heavyweight Championship. Included are great film clips from his bouts with Primo Carnera, Max Baer, Max Schmeling, and Jim Braddock, plus footage of the 1942 "Night Of The Stars" at Madison Square Garden in New York.