Dr. Carrie Teresa Isard, associate professor and chair of communication and media studies at Niagara University, was invited to discuss research from her book “Looking at the Stars: Black Celebrity Journalism in Jim Crow America” as part of the Black History Month events and activities hosted by the Division of Diversity, Inclusion and Community Engagement at Rutgers University.
The hour-long class, which took place on Feb. 19 and was attended by students, staff, faculty, and community members,celebrated the influence of Black-centered media in American culture. Dr. Isard discussed the impact of actresses Hattie McDaniel, Fredi Washington, and Eslanda Robeson, who were all considered Hollywood royalty in the 1930s. They confronted issues of misogyny, colorism, and fatphobia while fighting for racial integration in the film industry and labor rights for Black actors. The experiences of McDaniel, Washington, and Robeson juxtaposed with modern examples of racism, sexism, and labor inequity in the contemporary film industry offer an opportunity to examine the accomplishments of these extraordinary women as lessons for modern Hollywood.
“Each of these women were at the vanguard of movements that have had a lasting impact on the American entertainment industry and American women,” said Dr. Isard. “Their professional choices were not only far ahead of their time, but they also reverberate in contemporary discussions of misogyny, colorism, labor rights, structural racism, and fatphobia both within and outside of the entertainment industry.”
Dr. Isard’s research aims to shed light on at least some of the celebrities that delighted and inspired Black fans and communities during the first half of the 20th century and to start a conversation about their formative role in American cultural history.
“My contention is that, as a culture, Americans pay far too much attention to the idea of ‘crossing the color line,’ and in so doing, have overlooked the contributions of artists and entertainers who were simply ignored by the white, mainstream press despite being immensely popular with Black audiences,” she said.
