Who Was the First African-American Woman Director? (The Answer Isn’t as Simple as You May Think)

I don’t have to tell you that black women directors have been a force in filmmaking for decades. The list of African-American directors is endless, and continues to grow practically every single day.

But haven’t you wondered who the first black woman to direct a film was? The answer is, not surprisingly, as it always is when you’re dealing with history, quite complex.

There are claims and counter-claims, and nuances of detail, that make it somewhat complicated, but let me try to at least clarify some things.

For the longest time, film scholars have championed their various favorites for the title of the first black woman director, according to a paper from the Film…

Go to Source