Film series highlights history celebration

Kimberley McGee

Thursday, Feb. 7, 2002 | 8:29 a.m.

The pride, frustration and dignity of black history is explored in black and white in the film series "African-American Perspectives on Film."

The films are being presented in honor of Black History Month and are intended to offer insight into a cultural history that has been overdue and overlooked, said Drake Edwin Collier, a columnist for Las Vegas Sentinel newspaper, who is hosting the series.

"I don't care what culture you choose, there are things that happened (in history) that made people think, act and do things today," he said. "In other words, if you don't understand history, you don't understand your culture."

The three-week series begins at 6 p.m. at West Las Vegas Arts Center, 947 W. Lake Mead Blvd., with "Legacy."

The series continues Feb. 21 with "W.E.B. DuBois: A Biography in Four Voices," and Feb. 28 with the South African apartheid drama, "Long Night's Journey into Day."

With each installment a bit of history about the time the film takes place, as well as the social subjects the film explores, will be discussed.

"The sad thing is that we don't know a lot about these (issues)," Collier said. "But it's not your fault. You should have been taught this in school."

Las Vegas resident Norma Miller, an original Savoy jazz dancer, award-winning choreographer, actress and author, said the film series sheds light on the forgotten past.

"Black people were denied the (knowledge) of their past, we have not explored our history (in schools)," Miller said. "These movies are so important (in) that this country is facing its demons."

The first film, "Legacy," asks provocative questions, Collier said. The 1998 documentary chronicles five years in the lives of three generations of black women in the housing projects of Chicago.

"Whose fault is it that these drive-by shootings happen? That they have no trees (in the projects)? That three generations have been stuck in this hole for a total of 55 years?" Collier asked. "The answers will be painful to African-Americans because, generally, it is the African-Americans' fault."

The second film, "W.E.B. DuBois: A Biography in Four Voices," Collier said, dissects two approaches to the civil rights movement.

The 19th century activist Booker T. Washington argued that the best things for blacks to do to achieve respect and dignity was to get a job -- any job. Educator DuBois disagreed, suggesting blacks strive for higher education.

"People think the only civil rights movement was the one in the '60s with Martin Luther King Jr.," Collier said. "That's not true. It began with Booker T. (Washington) and DuBois. It's a part of history that for whatever reason people just don't know."

The final film, "Long Night's Journey into Day," features South Africans' struggle with politics and apartheid. Although the struggle for freedom took place a continent away, the issues hit home, Collier said.

"I've always said that apartheid and racism aren't cousins, they are brothers," Collier said. "This is an issue that should be recognized. What if apartheid happened here?"

Black History Month lasts 28 days, Collier said, but the issues brought up during the month should not be put to bed until the following February.

"Black History Month is brought out so people can understand (black) culture, but then it's forgotten until next year," Collier said. "But this is not a monthlong event. This is (American) history."