Making a Promised Land : Harlem in Twentieth-Century Photography and Film

In Making a Promised Land, Paula J. Massood examines the interconnected histories of African American representation, urban life, and citizenship as documented in still and moving images of Harlem over the last century. She analyzes how photography and film have been used over time to make African American culture visible to itself and to a wider audience and charts the ways in which Harlem, the "Mecc.;The era of the new Negro: African American politics and aesthetics in twentieth century Harlem -- African American aesthetics and the city: picturing the Black bourgeoisie in New York -- Heaven and hell in Harlem: urban aesthetics for a renaissance people -- Delinquents in the making: Harlem's representational turn toward "marketable shock" -- Gangster's paradise: drugs and crime in Harlem, from Blaxploitation to New Jack cinema -- Echoes of a renaissance: Harlem's nostalgic turn -- Conclusion: making and re-making a promised land: Harlem's continuing revisions. Making a Promised Land examines the interconnected histories of African American representation, urban life, and citizenship as documented in still and moving images of Harlem over the last century. Paula J. Massood analyzes how photography and film have been used over time to make African American culture visible to itself and to a wider audience and charts the ways in which the “Mecca of the New Negro” became a battleground in the struggle to define American politics, aesthetics, and citizenship. Visual media were first used as tools for uplift and education. With Harlem's downturn in fortunes through the 1930s, narratives of black urban criminality became common in sociological tracts, photojournalism, and film. These narratives were particularly embodied in the gangster film, which was adapted to include stories of achievement, economic success, and, later in the century, a nostalgic return to the past. Among the films discussed are Fights of Nations (1907), Dark Manhattan (1937), The Cool World (1963), Black Caesar (1974), Malcolm X (1992), and American Gangster (2007). Massood asserts that the history of photography and film in Harlem provides the keys to understanding the neighborhood's symbolic resonance in African American and American life, especially in light of recent urban redevelopment that has redefined many of its physical and demographic contours. Title Page 4 Copyright Page 5 Dedication 6 Frontispiece 8 Contents 10 Acknowledgments 12 Introduction. The Era of the New Negro: African American Politics and Aesthetics in Twentieth-Century Harlem 18 Chapter 1. African American Aesthetics and the City: Picturing the Black Bourgeoisie in New York 37 Chapter 2. Heaven and Hell in Harlem: Urban Aesthetics for a Renaissance People 68 Chapter 3. Delinquents in the Making: Harlem's Representational Turn toward "Marketable Shock" 105 Chapter 4. Gangster's Paradise: Drugs and Crime in Harlem, from Blaxploitation to New Jack Cinema 143 Chapter 5. Echoes of a Renaissance: Harlem's Nostalgic Turn 176 Conclusion. Making and Remaking a Promised Land: Harlem's Continuing Revisions 209 Notes 216 Index 248 About the Author 265 The Era Of The New Negro: African American Politics And Aesthetics In Twentieth Century Harlem -- African American Aesthetics And The City: Picturing The Black Bourgeoisie In New York -- Heaven And Hell In Harlem: Urban Aesthetics For A Renaissance People -- Delinquents In The Making: Harlem's Representational Turn Toward Marketable Shock -- Gangster's Paradise: Drugs And Crime In Harlem, From Blaxploitation To New Jack Cinema -- Echoes Of A Renaissance: Harlem's Nostalgic Turn -- Conclusion: Making And Re-making A Promised Land: Harlem's Continuing Revisions. Paula J. Massood. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. In this book, the author examines the interconnected histories of African American representation, urban life, and citizenship as documented in still and moving images of Harlem over the course of the twentieth century. She analyzes how photography and film have been used over time to make African American culture visible to itself and to a wider audience and charts the ways in which Harlem, the "Mecca of the New Negro,” became a battleground in the struggle to define American politics, aesthetics, and citizenship