We need more Black-Ass Stories
Welcome to the 65th installment of This Black-Ass Life! In honor of The Clark Sisters biopic EVENT this weekend, we want to talk about narratives and telling stories about Black lives.
Don’t forget: We've managed to grow this list thanks to y'all forwarding to friends so please keep it up! Forward this link to subscribe to five friends. And send us topics you'd like to see covered, texts from your Black-ass people, and any Black-ass anything from around the world and web.
l. The Facts
We’ve seen several Black biopics in the last few years. While representation is incredibly important, many of these biopics either outright lie or convolute the story so much that we honestly wonder why anyone even bothered.
It’s not that film-makers and screenwriters shouldn’t embellish, they do have to engage and entertain an audience, but the fact that Black life in America and Black notable figures (unless your name is MLK Jr.) gets ONE story means that those charged with telling that story have to take extra care.
From the narrative of an infallible Martin Luther King Jr. , to a Madam CJ Walker story where a historically nonexistent colorism battle between Walker and Annie Malone is a major plotpoint, to the Harriet Tubman film filled with contrived cartoonish made-up characters, these movies forego depth for a superficial sheen of Black lives.
A few more examples: Nina, prosthetic nose and all; Straight Outta Compton, the NWA story without the virulent misogyny and violence against women and the very bland and misguided Tupac biopic, All Eyez on Me.
Why does it matter?
Black people are often denied the humanity of having layers. We don’t get the benefit of the doubt for having dynamic personhood and our stories are told that way, too. Simple, straightforward and striking one note.
That’s why when it became apparent that Black folks are disproportionately affected by and dying from COVID-19, the conversation shifted from one about providing better care to taking personal responsibility “for your Big Mama,” or worse yet, just about obesity. This very simplistic overview completely discounts the effects of America’s racist economic and healthcare system.
Also, aren’t we all tired of the same white stories? How many remakes of Pride and Prejudice do we really need? Really any Jane Austen for that matter. Why is there another Emma?!
We’ve literally had 6 feature films and 12 adaptations of Little Women, yet one film adaptation of a Toni Morrison book. How is that possible?
There’s a JFK biopic every few years, but a Frederick Douglass film is just being made? Make it all make sense.
What can my Black-Ass do?
Turn to Black writers, who are doing the largely undervalued work of bringing humanity to Black lives while covering the devastating effects of COVID-19 on our communities.
Black historians are also doing the work of creating better, rounded biographies of Black history icons.
Do your own googles! For example, here’s Jodie Turner-Smith’s journey to learning about the inaccuracies in Self-Made.
Turn to Black documentary filmmakers. Stanley Nelson is a former MacArthur genius Fellow and an icon doing the work of telling layered Black stories.
II. Other Things
SexBeat is perfect.
Get ready for Bia - her takeover is imminent.
Twitter took no mercy with Drake’s mansion.
The kids are tired of being home around their families, too.
There are few cringe-laughs like the cringe-laughs provided by Tracy Morgan.
Pay attention to Tiffany Boone in Little Fires Everywhere.
Ok these proposed battles look good.
Our Black-Ass song(s) of the week (Mitu):
Ursher, Jon and Luda had to do it again.
Things we are looking forward to / things we are not looking forward to:
I (Jumoke) look forward to my daily walks. I want it to be a habit that stays past quarantine.
I (Mitu) look forward to Usher’s next wave of success.
lll. Text from a Black-Ass Dad
I (Jumoke) am completely covered in the blood of Jesus, as every call/text/FaceTime with my parents now ends with the blessing. Case in point, my sister got groceries.
Stay Black, thrive and be gentle with yourself. We’ll hit your inbox next on April 27.