Library of Congress National Film Registry Announces the Annual Selection of 25 of America’s Most Influential Motion Pictures
“Hair Piece: A Film for Nappyheaded People”, “Eve’s Bayou”, and
“Something Good” among the titles added.
Columbus, OH— December 17 — On Wednesday, December 12, 2018, the Library of Congress National Film Registry announced the annual selection of 25 of America’s most influential motion pictures to be inducted into the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress because of their cultural, historic and aesthetic importance to the nation’s film heritage.
For its 30th year selection, the National Film Registry included “Rebecca” (1940), “Cinderella (1950), and “Days of Wine and Roses” (1962). A short-animated film entitled “Hair Piece: A Film for Nappyheaded People”, by director Ayoka Chenzira, one of the industry’s first black female animators was also selected. “For my independently produced animated experimental film to be included in the National Film Registry is quite an honor,” said Chenzira. “I never imagined that ‘Hair Piece’ would be considered to have cultural significance outside of its original intent, which was a conversation and a love letter to Black women (and some men) about identity, beauty and self-acceptance in the face of tremendous odds.”
The new list also includes “Something Good — Negro Kiss,” a 29-second film that is believed to be the earliest known footage of African-American intimacy on screen, as well as director Kasi Lemmons’ 1997 film Eve’s Bayou.
Established by the National Film Preservation Act of 1988, the National Film Preservation Board works to ensure the survival, conservation and increased public availability of America’s film heritage, including: advising the Librarian on its recommendations for annual selections to the National Film Registry, apprising the Librarian of changing trends and policies in the field of film preservation, and counseling the Librarian on ongoing implementation of the National Film Preservation Plan. The National Film Registry selects 25 films each year showcasing the range and diversity of American film heritage to increase awareness for its preservation. Featuring the first comprehensive look at American film preservation. Information was gathered through hundreds of interviews and library research, as well as public testimony and written statements from over 100 organizations and individuals.
Today we say goodbye to the one and only Nancy Wilson. Formidable jazz singer, R&B artist, blues musician, actress and entertainer, Nancy hailed from Chillicothe, Ohio. Her career spanned more than five decades with Nancy retiring in 2010. Wilson recorded more than seventy albums and won three Grammy Awards for her work. She was 81 years old.
“The Girl With the Honey-Coated Voice”, was the first of six children, and was influenced by the music of Nat King Cole, Billy Eckstine, and Dinah Washington, at an early age. By the age of 15, while a student at West High School, Nancy won a talent contest sponsored by a local television station. The prize was an appearance on a twice-a-week television show, Skyline Melodies, of which, she became the host. She also worked at clubs on the east and north sides of Columbus, Ohio, until she graduated from high school. Unsure of her future as an entertainer, Nancy began college to pursue a degree in teaching. She spent one year at Ohio’s Central State College (now Central State University), before dropping out and following her original ambitions. Miss Wilson auditioned and won a spot with Rusty Bryant’s Carolyn Club Big Band in 1956, and toured with them throughout Canada and the Midwest from 1956 to 1958. While in this group, Wilson made her first recording under Dot Records.
In 1959 Nancy moved to New York City where her career bloomed. Within four weeks of her arrival in The Big Apple she got her first major break, a call to fill in at “The Blue Morocco”. The club booked Wilson on a permanent basis–she was singing four nights a week while simultaneously working as a secretary. When her manager, John Levy, sent two demos to Capitol Records, they signed her in 1960.
Wilson’s debut single, “Guess Who I Saw Today”, was so successful that between April 1960 and July 1962 Capitol Records released five Nancy Wilson albums. Her first album, Like in Love, displayed her talent in Rhythm and Blues. When her friend and fellow musician Julian “Cannonball” Adderley suggested she focus on jazz music and ballads, they collaborated and produced the album Nancy Wilson and Cannonball Adderley in 1962, which propelled her to national prominence.
In 1963 “Tell Me The Truth” became her first truly major hit, leading up to her performance at the Coconut Grove in 1964 – the turning point of her career, garnering critical acclaim from coast to coast. 1964 was a golden year as Wilson won her first Grammy Award for the best rhythm and blues recording for her album How Glad I Am. Nancy was also dubbed a “consummate actress” and “complete entertainer” as her talents weren’t reserved just for the recording booth. In 1967, after making numerous television guest appearances, Nancy got her own series on NBC, The Nancy Wilson Show, which ran until 1968 and won an Emmy. From the late 1960s through 2005, Wilson appeared in hundreds of films and television shows including The Red Skelton Hour, Hawaii Five-O, The Cosby Show and The Parkers.
In addition to her musical accolades and achievements Nancy was recognized for her humanitarian and human rights work garnering awards from the NAACP, the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change, the International Civil Rights Walk of Fame at the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site, Oprah Winfrey’s Legends Award, and the UNCF. A member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Wilson also has a street named after her in her hometown of Chillicothe, Ohio. She co-founded the Nancy Wilson Foundation, which exposed inner-city children to the country, and until she fell ill in 2008, continued her work in civil rights.
As with many others, I can say with all certainty and ease that Nancy Wilson has always been one of my favorite songstresses. And I’m not just biased because I too am an Ohio girl. That silky voice and amazing style made her the Queen of entertainment. And yes but oh yes, she was indeed royalty. Personally, my favorite Wilson tune which I never tire of hearing is The Very Thought of You, but you can’t go wrong with any Wilson melody. If you’re not familiar with her cannon, listen to How Glad I Am, My One and Only Love, Never Let Me Go, or Here’s That Rainy Day.
Fancy Miss Nancy–singer and storyteller, legend and legacy, thank you for blessing our souls with your voice. We will always smile at the very thought of you.
I hope everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving and week after. Unlike the rest of the world, I was lying on my couch with a fever and missing the opening weekend of Creed II! But don’t fret, the first day I was able to live again I took myself to the movies. I thoroughly loved this sequel.
Just in case you don’t know, Michael B. Jordan plays Adonis Creed, son of Apollo Creed from the classic Rocky series. Basically, he fights, loses, goes through a journey of depression and self- discovery, trains with his mentor, fights, and wins. Along the way, he is in love with Tessa Thompson’s character, Bianca, and they go through some trials. Which may sound incredibly predictable and boring, but I promise, it wasn’t boring.
Let’s break down why this movie was so great. First, Michael B. Jordan, and not for the reasons you think. Yes, we can see he is a beautiful man and he may possibly taste like tootsie rolls; clearly, this is a major reason we are intrigued by him; but for me, his acting has always seemed a little vapid, like it was missing some depth. With this performance he showed maturity and growth with his craft. Sitting in the audience, I could feel his emotions through the screen, not because Adonis’s inner struggle was relatable, but because Jordan did such a terrific job depicting his character’s state of mind throughout the whole film. This performance felt more profound than his others. He really seemed like he held his own with veteran actor Sylvester Stallone. He shared the screen with him instead of just being in a scene with him. Can we smell an Oscar nomination? Hope so.
Reason number two, Tessa Thompson. She transforms herself into her characters like an ice cube melts in water. Thompson’s portrayal of Bianca was strong, confident and independent. She was not Adonis’s trophy but his equal. She had her own life outside of him but she knew when he needed her and how he needed her.
Sometimes women in these types of movies are depicted as shallow, weak, and expendable. As if their whole lives are revolving around this one man and they don’t have anything else going for them. Not this time. She has a career that was making big moves alongside his fighting career. And it was evident that he needed her just as much as she needed him. She was not replaceable. As a black woman I saw myself in her. I saw myself in her fears, her strength and the love she had for her man. For the record I would have also been the loudest person in the Arena in Russia that night as well, “Drago who?”
Reason number three, can we talk about the amazing way this movie was shot? Not only was it beautiful, but I appreciate long medium shots to build suspense, with slow-motion close-ups, as opposed to fast cuts with close-ups. I get it, we learn in video editing 101 that in order to show action we need fast cuts but it doesn’t always get the audience to lose themselves in the movie. The verisimilitude of the fighting scenes had me holding my breath with every punch. I was literally sitting at the edge of my seat watching this movie and the only thing that would bring me back to reality was someone coughing in the theatre. Kudos to director, Steven Caple Jr., for capturing those moments perfectly. Can you believe this is his first major motion picture? Well, I hope to see a lot more from him.
Reason number four, the love story between Adonis and Bianca. Bianca was everything Adonis needed. When he was weak, she was his strength. When he needed to be humbled, she was there to bring him back to Earth. When he needed encouragement, she cheered the loudest. Ryan Coogler did a fantastic job of writing a love story that was based on real love and admiration. Adonis never cheated on her, hit her or hurt her in any way. He praised and supported her music career, he was her strength when she was weak, and he made sure he provided for her. They were a team. That is the way love is supposed to be.
This movie was a great sequel to the first one. If you haven’t seen either Creed films, you should. Go to Amazon Prime and rent the first one, then go online and buy your tickets for the second. It’s worth it.
