How the first African American movie star created roles for himself in some of the earliest Black-produced films made for Black audiences. But he rose to mainstream notoriety playing characters of nearly every race but his own. 

Guests: Dara Jaffe, Associate Curator at the Academy Museum; Cara Caddoo, Associate Professor, Department of History and Media School, Indiana University Bloomington.

Academy Museum digital engagement platforms, including this podcast, are sponsored by Bloomberg Philanthropies.

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

This program is made possible in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.