From Sir Sidney To Mr. Washington

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Bahamians would recall that in the 1980s and early 90s our one national television station - ZNS -  would annually dedicate one week of Sir Sidney's movies on television. 

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This was only crumbs but it was definitely needed. We love them too but there is definitely a limit to how many episodes of Sesame Street, Dr. Who, Little House on The Prairie, Bonanza, Dallas, Hill Street Blues, Cheers, Cagney and Lacey, 21 Jump Street, Miami Vice, Knight Rider, Star Trek, David Suzuki, Neighbours and MacGyver that a people can consume. 

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Sir Sidney has a magnificent catalogue of movies. These ones left a lasting impression. 

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A strong quiet black man surrounded by lily white Good Christian nuns. You could see already that he was a star in a white world. This movie and The Dinner movie are somewhat alike. Only in the Dinner movie the entire movie is about his character but most of the story is about the soon to be in-laws. But everytime Sir Sidney speaks he steals the show. These movies may look conservative now but within the context of the period in which they were made they were ground breaking. Sir Sidney won the Award for Lilies. The first black man to win it. No more shucking and jiving. An unbowed Black Man was on the scene and on the screen. 

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Sir Sidney was smart and strong. He had the intellect to solve the case. Maybe the first black detective on the screen. This movie has good actors. Sir Sidney was the man. This movie had suspense and tension. Had to watch this every time it came on television. We need more black smart problem solvers. Like when Denzel was a sleuth in the Blue Dress movie. The Author of the Blue Dress movie wrote an entire genre of books like that. The sleuth can also be funny, like Elder Cosby and Eddie "The Prince" and scientific like the genre of the Fresh Prince. 

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Probably the most realistic cinematic portrayal of black people and black family life to this very day. Maybe the best black buddy movie ever. These movies have friendship, action, sport and comedy. Pryor, the King of Comedy, has a role. Sir Sidney directed these movies. Roscoe Jenkins kinda vibe. Simple plot, great actors and plenty of love. They are classics that are enjoyed by all ages. 

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But who could foresee that the torch would be passed on to the black doctor on that melancholy but cozy hospital series on television. 

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D. Washington has done black people proud. He has made many movies but these ones can not be forgotten. 

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Spike directed a strong message. No work is without fault, but for those people in The Movement who have read the Autobiography of Brother Malcolm X and who have read other books about his life from his family members, Washington should have been given the Academy Award for that performance hands down. No doubt about it. But he has a greater award. He has the admiration of The Movement.

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D. Washington directed this movie. He is smart in front of the camera and behind the camera. The movie has a Marcus Garvey movement. It will also have you dripping in tears. It's an introspective story about a young black boy searching for his Mother. This movie has an ending that opens hearts. The movie shows that Grammies and Aunties are the foundation of The Family. 

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Hands down one of the best action movies ever made. The movie created its own genre even though the story was not unique. Alot of 90s cop movies had bad cops. Within a simple story he made the character a classic. He is a natural. First time we saw him curse so much on screen. Nino Brown with a badge. This movie had great actors. The movie had the look and the rhythm of a music video. The Diner scene is hip hop. The entire movie was hip hop. Black people just still trying to figure out why he had to play the part of the Devil to finally get the Academy Award. 

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Capitalism has spent hundreds of years controlling the image of Africa and African people. 

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Sir Sidney and Mr. Washington have done and are doing their part to reverse this process. 

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The African working class must organize to take power over the entire mode of production, including all forms of the mode of communication. 

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We need hundreds of years of telling stories and making movies to help take back Africa and to help repair our souls.

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We need Black Power and Socialism. 

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Join the African People's Socialist Party. 

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Uhuru

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One Africa. One Nation.