The AmericaJR Web Team recently visited the Academy Museum on Motion Pictures on L.A.’s Miracle Mile. In this gallery, look for photos from the exhibit “Regeneration: Black Cinema 1898-1971.” From AcademyMuseum.org: The exhibit explores the rich history of Black participation in US cinema from its beginnings to just beyond the civil rights movement. Inspired by and named after an independent all-Black-cast movie from 1923, Regeneration seeks to revive lost or forgotten films, filmmakers, and performers for a contemporary audience. Moviemaking has always been instrumental in shaping culture, and Black artists and entrepreneurs have been involved from the start despite racism and prejudices that limited their opportunities.
Poster for “The Birth of a Nation” (1915) 
Norman Film Company 35mm camera and tripod, 1916 
Boots worn by Herb Jeffries in Harlem on the Prairie (1937) 
Louis Armstrong’s engraved Selmer B-flat trumpet, ca. 1930 
Left: Costume worn by Sammy Davis Jr. in “Porgy and Bess” (1959) Right: Costume worn by Lena Horne in “Stormy Weather” (1943) 
Academy Award for Best Actor, Sidney Poitier “Lilies of the Field” (1963) 
Slate used during production of “Ralph Bunche” (1997)
The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures is located at 6067 Wilshire Blvd. in Los Angeles. For tickets and more info, go to: https://www.academymuseum.org/