Sapphire + The Cry of Jazz

This double feature complements a current MMoCA exhibit, “DARK MATTER,” by Faisal Abdu’Allah. Recommended by the artist, the films (both from 1959) focus on artistic expression during the Civil Rights Era. The short The Cry of Jazz is American composer Edward O. Bland’s take on “the imaginative power of Black intellectuals and artists” of the time. Sapphire by Basil Dearden is a feature-length drama that explores racism and class structure in 1950s England. Both are robust and thought-provoking depictions of the strength in the Black voice.