Black in Period Films

Producer Billy Peterson has chosen “Seacole,” as his first feature film for his new production company, Racing Green Pictures. Racing Green Pictures says that one of its goals is to back prestige films with strong social messages. Seacole fits the bill as it will center on Mary Seacole, a pioneering Jamaican nurse who cared for wounded British soldiers during the Crimean War and found herself at odds with Florence Nightingale. Period film mainstay Gugu Mbatha-Raw (“Belle”, "Free State of Jones") will be playing the British-Jamaican business woman and nurse who worked behind the lines during the Crimean War. Mbatha-Raw will be joined by Sam Worthington (“Avatar”). “Seacole” will shoot over the next two months in Malta, Romania and London. The goal is to be ready for a festival circuit debut in 2020.

Juneteenth, also known as Juneteenth Independence Day or Freedom Day, is an American holiday that commemorates the June 19, 1865, announcement of the abolition of slavery in the U.S. state of Texas, and more generally the emancipation of enslaved African Americans throughout the former Confederate States of America. Juneteenth was born in Galveston and has now become a national celebration. Photo by Frank J. Schlueter, courtesy of The African American Library at The Gregory School, Houston Public Library

Check out the lovely Susie Wokoma as Mabel in the new British comedy series Year of the Rabbit.  Year of the Rabbit Cast Image credit: Channel 4  Image credit: Channel 4 The series airs Monday 10th June.  The show will be broadcast on Channel 4 in the UK and IFC in the US.

"Movin' on Up" the original theme song for "The Jefferson's" was written by Ja'Net DuBois (Willona from Good Times) and Jeff Barry. The theme song was sung by Ja'Net DuBois along with a gospel choir. In 1978 Sammy Davis, Jr. recorded a cover version of the song.