Black in Period Films

Write It Day 17: In Thank You, Ma’am by Langston Hughes we are treated with an amazing example of love, understanding, and redemption. This short story would make for a perfect feature length film.

Some exciting news about Jussie Smollett and his role as Langston Hughes as developed! In an interview with ESSENCE 's Yes Girl podcast, Jussie Smollett says that he'll be portraying Langston Hughes in a future biopic for the poet and activist. Had to go butt faced to become the great #LangstonHughes in the upcoming film #Marshall. Thank you @reggiehudlin for the opportunity. It's been a dream. 🙏🏿 A post shared by Jussie Smollett (@jussiesmollett) on Jun 8, 2016 at 6:36pm PDT He says: "I was doing a tribute to John Legend at the NAACP Image Awards —not this past one but the year before— and Reginald (Hudlin, the director of Marshall) came up to me and said, 'You favor Langston Hughes so much. I just want to know if you'd be down to do a cameo in Marshall as Langston Hughes?'" Smollett said he told the director, "I'll do it on one condition —that within three years, we do the full Langston Hughes movie," to which he respo...

Cora Unashamed is a 2000 movie based on the short story by Langston Hughes. Spoilers Following!! The film begins in 1916 Melton, Iowa. Cora is in labor. After she delivers the baby her mother tells her, “Ain’t no good come out of white and colored love, Cora” Cora has just given birth to a bi-racial baby. Instead of letting her mother's words upset her she says, “We don’t care what anyone says, we don’t care at all.” She names the baby Josephine “After her daddy Joe” Cora is a loving and engaging mother who works as a maid and nanny taking care of a white child named Jessie Studevant. Jessie Studevant Cora is a black woman named in a small town. She has put off many of her dreams. She wanted to be a writer but had to leave to work. Her daughter Josephine also has a love for words. She constantly asks Cora what certain words mean. Cora tells Josephine that she'll be able to go to school in the fall with Jessie. Grandmothe...