There have been many engaging documentaries focusing on image makers: Vivian Maier. Perhaps the film medium particularly shines when showcasing particularly vivid photographs. Here we have another remarkable instance, from creator Yemi Bamiro, exploring the extraordinary professional journey of Kwame Brathwaite—a creative force, musician and social justice champion who exemplified a unique artistic-political perspective.
In partnership with his sibling Elombe, he pioneered the slogan “Black Is Beautiful” in the mid-century era by capturing the Harlem models in Harlem: youthful African American women who transformed into the groundbreaking archetype for beauty, abandoning traditional beauty standards and the usual white standard of female beauty.
The Power of Three Words
This powerful statement transformed into a powerful rallying cry, an visionary three-word prose poem for transformation. Just declaring that people of color possessed beauty emerged as a liberating power in art, politics and the arts. The photographer became integral to the civil rights global Black cause by documenting Muhammad Ali before his historic championship fight in the seventies.
He served as the exclusive image creator for the musical group's international performances, and eventually assumed the role of the house photographer for the iconic Harlem venue, assembling an amazing archive of musical pioneers. In collaboration with Elombe, he became the central figure behind bringing the South African leader to appear in Harlem.
Family Legacy
His son Kwame Jr recounts the personal campaign to secure appropriate credit for his father's legacy after he was unjustly overlooked in the prestigious Smithsonian institution, established by the political leader in recent years.
The feature additionally explores the inexpressibly painful genesis of the photographer's dedication to visual storytelling: the shocking images of Emmett Till, the young civil rights tragic figure whose mourning family member courageously insisted on an public viewing so the horrific reality of bigoted brutality could not be concealed.
From Tragedy to Hope
From this vision of violence, Brathwaite discovered a form of profound understanding that directed him toward visual representations of community. His work powerfully conveyed empowering beauty and typically subtle in messaging: he developed a innovative iconography of pride through which activist groups could mobilize.
This represents an exhilarating chronicle of artistic vision that continues to inspire decades later.
