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a12 people & arts
Monday 14 February 2022
TCM’s Jacqueline Stewart puts Black

film history in focus

fellowship from the MacAr-
thur Foundation, an honor
nicknamed the Genius
Grant, for ensuring that
overlooked Black filmmak-
ers and audiences have "a
place in the public imagi-
nation," as the foundation
said.
She considers her work to
be part of a larger and
urgent American reassess-
ment: "We all need to think
more deeply about ques-
tions of racial equality and
social justice" as the past
This image released by TCM shows Jacqueline Stewart who will
co-host a collection of films honoring Black History Month. several years have shown.
Associated Press "We've had some really
deep conversations at
By LYNN ELBER the full-stop experience for TCM about what it means
AP Television Writer TCM," said Pola Changnon, to show classic films at this
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Film its general manager. historical moment, and
scholar Jacqueline Stew- "Having Jacqueline at the how we can reflect on the
art makes a rich contribu- table, she's a voice in driv- legacies of misrepresenta-
tion to TCM for Black History ing the programing selec- tion in those films and an
Month, leading discussions tions," Changnon said. erasure of people of color,"
about "Selma" with its star, "She's really great in point- she said, and on "the sex-
David Oyelowo, and high- ing us to things that we ism and homophobia, the
lighting the work of Oscar might not have thought transphobia, that we find
Micheaux and other pio- of before, not only films, in classic films."
neering filmmakers. but also other experts who Last year, for TCM's "Re-
The result is both celebra- can really bring life to these framed: Classic Films in the
tory and thought-provok- movies." Rearview Mirror" project,
ing. Stewart, whose academ- Stewart and her four co-
"Our programing runs all ic focus is on silent films hosts examined blatant ra-
the way from the 1920s to and Black cinema, was a cial stereotyping and other
2014, almost a century of TCM guest before she was demeaning elements in
African American filmmak- brought in as the first host movies including 1927's
ing," Stewart said. of the ongoing "Silent Sun- "The Jazz Singer," 1939's
"We see the same kinds day Nights" showcase for "Gone With the Wind" and
of themes, a call for racial domestic and international 1961's "The Children's Hour,"
justice. People will get a films and shorts. which depicts same-sex re-
much deeper sense of the In 2021, the newly opened lationships as shameful.
complexities of these ques- Academy Museum of Mo- Stewart's appearances
tions and why we have to tion Pictures in Los Angeles as a guest expert on TCM
be raising these questions named her its chief artistic eventually put her in the
in our country." and programming execu- co-host lineup with Ben
The February slate honor- tive, with a portfolio includ- Mankiewicz, Dave Karger,
ing African American films ing screenings, exhibitions Alicia Malone and Eddie
and creators is just one as- and educational outreach. Muller.
pect of how Stewart, TCM's (Stewart is on sabbatical "We were always so im-
first and sole co-host of col- from the cinema and me- pressed with not only ev-
or since 2019 and a Univer- dia studies department at erything she knew coming
sity of Chicago professor, the University of Chicago, in, but just her grace and
has upped the channel's where she earned a doc- presence in being on cam-
game. torate degree in English). era and communicating
Focusing on Black film his- Last year was a banner with another host about
tory once a year "can't be one: Stewart received a what she knew," Chang-
non said. "Not everyone
can translate that kind of
academic expertise" for
viewers.
Stewart says she's pleased
by the scope of TCM's Black
History Month program-
ming, which continues on
Sundays through Feb. 27
and includes fellow schol-
ars Racquel Gates and Sa-
mantha Sheppard.q