Director, actor, screenwriter, editor, composer and producer Melvin Van Peebles is perhaps best known for today’s film, the iconic SWEET SWEETBACK’S BAAD ASSSSS SONG (1971) – a watershed effort that heralded a new era of outspoken Black cinema upon its release. This landmark independent production from – which Van Peebles funded privately – spoke unvarnished truth to power, becoming a touchstone for the disenfranchised and a lightning rod for political activists in search of a voice.
Learn more about SWEET SWEETBACK’S BAADASSSSS SONG in the AFI Catalog.
