Notebook on Black History Month 2012 (part 4): The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975

Filmmaker Goran Hugo Olsson and actor/producer Danny Glover. (Photo by Larry Busacca and Getty Images)


After opening in U.S. theatres September 9, 2011, and closing November 6, 2011, The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975 managed a total domestic gross of only $268,813 before making its debut on Public Broadcast Stations (PBS) over the February 10-12, 2012, Black History Month weekend.

Although the documentary film made its PBS debut as stated, it did so in the state of Georgia initially on channels accessible only to those who subscribe to high definition cable services. It later aired on more accessible channels at 1 a.m., 3 a.m., and 6 a.m. respectively. Consequently, many who may have wanted to see it did not and those still wishing to see the film would do well to check local broadcast schedules before its final PBS showing on February 29, or, invest in the DVD.

That a film such as The Help has grossed almost $170 million during its theatre run, and is nominated for this year’s Academy Award for Best Motion Picture (broadcasting February 26) while The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975 has been all but ignored by mainstream commentators possibly says a great deal about the tendency for denial when it comes to dealing with the realities of race in America.

“Mixtape” is a very appropriate word to include in the title of Goran Hugo Olsson’s film because it includes a rich mixture of cultural voices. They speak across different dividing lines such as those of haves and have-nots, youth and maturity, black and white, national and global, and the past and the present. Each adds intensely to the film’s overall power to provide an expanded perspective on African Americans’ struggle for racial equality during the 1960s and 1970s.

To read the full article by Aberjhani please click this link:
Notebook on Black History Month 2012 (part 4): The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975 - National African-American Art | Examiner.com

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