Documentary traces Kwame Brathwaite’s role in Black Is Beautiful movement
A documentary on BBC Four follows Harlem photographer Kwame Brathwaite and the images he made over seven decades, many of which helped shape the Black Is Beautiful movement. His photographs of prominent figures and everyday African American life form the centre of the film, with his family and artists including Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz reflecting on his work and legacy.
The evening’s other programmes include a Sky Arts account of how soprano Susannah Cibber’s casting in Handel’s first performance of Messiah helped revive his fortunes and her career. BBC One’s drama follows Sandra as she investigates cover-ups around Gerry’s collapsed murder trial, while BBC Three examines the case of Royal Artillery Gunner Jaysley Beck, who died after reporting a sexual assault. Viewers can also see previously unseen Only Fools and Horses outtakes and a series revisiting crimes linked to Joseph DeAngelo, who pleaded guilty to 13 murders and nearly 50 rapes.
In short
- Kwame Brathwaite’s archive captures the Black Is Beautiful movement.
- Handel’s Messiah casting helped restore Susannah Cibber’s career.
- Tonight also features drama, true crime and unseen sitcom outtakes.
Explained simply
Kwame Brathwaite was an American photographer who documented Black life in Harlem and beyond from the 1950s onwards. His portraits of musicians, activists and other public figures sit alongside photographs of everyday people and community events.
The Black Is Beautiful movement encouraged African Americans to value Black identity, culture and appearance, including natural hairstyles. Brathwaite’s images helped spread that message, offering a visual record of a period when civil rights activism and debates about representation were reshaping American society.
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Originally published by The Guardian as “TV tonight: incredible photos of the ‘Black Is Beautiful’ movement”.