What to Watch (Not Just) During Black History Month

Does Aretha Franklin‘s granddaughter have what it takes to be a star, too??

NEW YORK -- While many people spent Valentine's Day with the traditional flowers and chocolates, Brittney Johnson was making theater history.The young Broadway veteran was gently lowered onto the Gershwin Theatre stage to become the first Black actor to assume the role of Glinda full-time in “Wicked,” shattering a racial barrier on the day of love.“One of the most rewarding parts of this is that it’s not just for me. I think it’s the least amount about me,” she says.

Black History Month is nearly over but Amber Ruffin is celebrating after returning from hiatus.

Wilson Chapman editorAs chairman of the Universal Studio Group, Pearlena Igbokwe is the first Black woman to run a major television studio. But when she got her start, she had no connections in the entertainment industry, little information about how to break into the business and very few mentors to look up too.

Stacey Morris As an African American, I cannot discuss Black history without mentioning the direct influence it has on the fabric of my existence. As a Black female barber-stylist, by profession, I reflect on the history of Black barbers and barbershops, as well as my progenitors that pioneered a historical pathway.Amidst many social changes that transpired in the 19th century, Black-owned and operated barbershops catered most to white patrons.

Ryan Michelle Bathé Black History Month, pioneered by Dr. Carter G.

EXCLUSIVE: Chris Weitz and Paul Weitz will co-write and co-direct Spanish Dracula, the true story about how silent film star and Mexican actress Lupita Tovar found a second wind starring in  Spanish language versions of Hollywood films like the Universal classic Dracula. The Weitz Brothers are her grandsons, and they will produce through Depth of Field, along with Pancho Kohner. He is their uncle and author of The Sweetheart of Mexico, a memoir he helped his mother write about her most fascinating life.

Jhené Aiko joined the celebrations for a rendition of ‘America The Beautiful’ – watch the performance below.For the performance, Aiko was joined by a harpist for a delicate rendition of the classic track, which came in a pre-game performance before  Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar and Mary J.

Eminem took a knee during the Super Bowl Halftime Show tonight (February 13), despite reports that the NFL had barred him from doing so.The move holds much significance in the American football league, after it was used as a means of protest by former 49ers player Colin Kaepernick to call attention to racial inequality and police brutality in the US.The quarterback began kneeling during the national anthem at games in 2016, sparking divided reactions from fans and politicians, including Donald Trump. He became a free agent in 2017 and has not played in the NFL since.Eminem took the knee after performing ‘Lose Yourself’ at the Super Bowl Halftime Show at LA’s SoFi Stadium, where he appeared alongside Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Mary J.

“Black Like Me” at the Grammys, was the first African-American woman to co-host the ACM Awards and rocked a supersize Afro when she did “Love My Hair” at the CMAs.Now, the 38-year-old singer — whose debut album, “Remember Her Name,” is up for three Grammys in April — will have another memorable moment when she performs the national anthem at the Super Bowl on Sunday. “It’s Black History Month, and a black country singer gets to sing the national anthem at the Super Bowl. Wow,” Guyton told The Post. “This is a huge moment for me.

Mary J. Blige has shared her thoughts on not being paid to perform at this year’s Super Bowl Halftime Show.The Queen of hip-hop soul is set to perform alongside Dr. Dre, Eminem, Snoop Dogg and Kendrick Lamar during this Sunday’s (February 13) NFL showdown between the Cincinnati Bengals and L.A.

Power Book II: Ghost and 2017's Mudbound, which landed her two and made history. (Blige was the first person to be nominated for acting and songwriting—“Mighty River”—in the same year.)And she's not stopping anytime soon.

Brent Lang Executive Editor of Film and MediaTaylor Tomlinson has mined her up-bringing in a devout Christian family for laughs in her comedy act and Netflix stand-up specials. Now, her story will be the basis of a new feature film.Village Roadshow Pictures has acquired the rights to an untitled movie based on the life of the hit stand-up comedian, outbidding several other suitors. Paul Weitz will direct from a script written by Tomlinson and Taylor Tetreau.

Kanye West has made the argument that Black History Month – an annual commemoration of important people and events in the history of the African diaspora, celebrated every February in North America – is no longer relevant, instead declaring in a new video that February will henceforth be known as “Black Future Month”.The video shows West – who is legally known as Ye – standing in the centre of a hooded group and delivering a powerful speech on his upbringing and struggles as a Black man in modern America.“The system has been separating families in every way that they can, for years” he said, noting that he was separated from his mother (the first female head of the English department at Chicago State University) and his father (a Black Panther) at a young age, leading to a fractured relationship between West and the latter.He continued: “America is made to enslave us. What they ever gave us? We’d improve.

caused a style standoff between millennials and Gen Z, denim was controversial.A new documentary, “Riveted: The History of Jeans” (out Monday, Feb. 7, on PBS), unfolds the untold story of America’s most iconic and ubiquitous garment.

For the first time in Super Bowl history, American Sign Language (ASL) artists will be incorporated into the halftime show.

Michelle Obama is sharing stories of individuals who are making a difference in communities across the country. She shared a black and white photo by Chicago based photographer Antonio Dickey and wrote, “This is a month of celebration—a time to not only reflect on the heroes in our history books, but to honor the Black people who are quietly working every day to improve and enrich our communities right here and now.” “Today, I’m starting with Antonio Dickey,” she continued.The photo Michelle shared was taken by Dickey when she spoke with students at a school resource event in 1991. “Back then, I was just Michelle Robinson, an assistant to Mayor Daley at City Hall,” she wrote.

Trayvon Martin in Florida also get attention.The post-George Floyd onset of racial reckoning and the subsequent backlash have coincided with the growth of streaming and its voracious need for content, a two-fold incentive for TV to pay heed to the sweep and nuance of Black experience.With broadcast networks and cable channels trying to keep pace with flush streaming services, there’s an impressive field of documentaries, profiles and more ahead. Among the highlights (all times are Eastern):—“One Thousand Years of Slavery,” Smithsonian Channel, Feb. 7-28.