Directed by Marlon Riggs and Peter Webster • 1981 • United States
Marlon Riggs’s UC Berkeley thesis film draws on a wealth of archival materials to trace the evolution of the Oakland blues, a unique musical style developed by Black shipyard workers in the Bay Area in the 1940s and ’50s.
Directed by Marlon Riggs • 1986 • United States
Marlon Riggs’s essential, Emmy-winning documentary takes viewers on a disturbing voyage through American history, tracing the deep-rooted stereotypes that have fueled anti-Black prejudice. Examining the racist depictions of African Americans that h...
Directed by Marlon Riggs • 1989 • United States
Marlon Riggs’s landmark documentary uses poetry, personal testimony, rap, and performance (featuring poet Essex Hemphill and others) to describe the homophobia and racism faced by Black gay men. The stories are often devastating: the man refused en...
Directed by Marlon Riggs • 1990 • United States
This exploration of Black gay male desires and dreams starts with an affectionate, humorous confessional and moves on to a wish for empowerment and incorporation.