Black Movie Hall of Fame Announces Inaugural Inductees
The Black Movie Hall of Fame has officially launched. Kansas City artist Warren ‘Stylez’ Harvey was commissioned to create portraits of the first 10 inductees which will eventually be on display in The Black Movie Hall of Fame which will be located in the renovated Boone Theater. The portraits were unveiled at the Kansas City FilmFest International’s Celebrate Black Cinema event which was presented by the Critics Choice Association. The Boone Theater is also slated to house the Black Repertory Theatre of Kansas City, digital media production facilities and other offices. Located in the Historic 18th and Vine Jazz District, the theater renovation is part of a multi-million- dollar plan to re-energize the entertainment district.
“The Black Movie Hall of Fame (BMHF) will chronicle the history of black film,” says creator Shawn Edwards. “The Hall of Fame will emphasize individuals who made an impact on cinema in front of and behind the camera.” The BMHF will be an immersive multimedia experience, combining video, virtual reality, and traditional exhibit spaces. In addition to the physical location, there will also be an online experience to allow people to engage 24/7/365.
“The inaugural inductees were all selected because they are connected to the Kansas City area,” says Edwards. “We felt that since the Hall of Fame will be located in Kansas City, we should honor our hometown cinematic trailblazers first.”
The BMHF will open in late 2023. The BMHF is currently raising funds for the physical space and future programming. Limited prints of the portraits of the inaugural inductees are available online at https://www.boonetheaterkc.com/bmhf. There will also be an NFT auction at the end of the month.
BLACK MOVIE HALL OF FAME INAUGURAL INDUCTEES
Oscar Micheaux (Buried in Great Bend, Kansas): The grandfather of black cinema. The first black person to direct and produce a feature film — “The Homesteader” in 1909. Credited with directing and producing more than 40 movies.
Hattie McDaniel (Wichita, Kansas): The first black person to win an Oscar. Won Best Supporting Actress for her performance in “Gone With the Wind” in 1940.
Gordon Parks (Ft. Scott, Kansas): Pioneering filmmaker, photographer, and novelist. Directed “Shaft” which popularized the Blaxploitation genre.
Tressie Souders (Frankfurt, Kansas): The first known black woman to direct and produce a feature film — 1922’s “A Woman’s Error.”
Janelle Monae (Kansas City, Kansas): Actress, singer, and fashionista.
Kevin Willmott (Junction City, Kansas): Oscar winning Screenwriter and Director.
Don Cheadle (Kansas City, Missouri): Actor and Director.
Harry Belafonte: Played notorious real-life Kansas City gangster Seldom Seen in Robert Altman’s “Kansas City.”
Chadwick Boseman: Played legendary baseball player Jackie Robinson, who got his start on the Kansas City Monarchs before breaking MLB’s color barrier, in the movie “42.”
Forest Whitaker: Played famed saxophonist Charlie Parker in Clint Eastwood’s “Bird.”