... elegant and well-made.

Colorization, a well-constructed and deeply engaging chronicle...breaks significant new ground in that takes in the full sweep of on-screen portrayals of Black Americans (sometimes by Black American filmmakers, sometimes not), spanning years beyond other indispensable accounts.

The stories that Wil Haygood tells—of pioneers, mavericks, rebels—are as gripping as anything that one might hope to see on the big screen.

For anyone who isn’t steeped in film history, Haygood provides a valuable service by recalling the few movies made by White producers and directors in the pre-civil rights era that dealt seriously with race issues.

... captivating.

Haygood centers his narrative on punchy biographical sketches of Black filmmakers and piquant making-of tableaux while ably filling in historical context from the Harlem Renaissance to the George Floyd protests. The result is an engrossing account of a vital but often slighted cinematic tradition, full of fascinating lore..

A well-researched history of frustrations, defiance, and bold dreams—good for movie buffs and civil rights historians alike..