Julia Fuchs Mrs. Elmore English 6 16 April 2024 Research Outline Introduction (one paragraph) In the 1930’s the nation witnessed the birth of an industry they had never seen before: film. This period was the renaissance of black and white TV, but behind the scenes it wasn’t so glamorous. Bill Robinson made his shot at TV during this time period, though it wasn’t an easy journey. The country at the time was essentially divided into two: black and white. Bill Robinson, an emerging actor, had to make his way into the industry while the odds were stacked against him. As well as being a talented tap dancer, Bill Robinson made positive change in the black community by caring for the families of black neighborhoods like Jackson Ward and paving the way for other black performers
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He started his life with little money, but managed to make his way up to the Vaudeville Circuits: groups of magicians and comedians. According to medium.com, “The first black performer to appear in a Hollywood film as one-half of an interracial dance team (with Shirley Temple in The Little Colonel, 1935). Bill Robinson’s performance in The Little Colonel broke the “two-colored rule”: a rule in cinema stating that black and white actors couldn’t be in the same camera shot. His defiance of this deep-rooted rule helped pave the way for the next generation of black performers. In addition to his work with activism, Bill Robinson’s incredible acting and tap career spoke for itself. According to goldenglobes.com, “They would act and dance in three other films – The Littlest Rebel, Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, and Just Around the Corner (goldenglobes.com). ” The exposure of Bill Robinson showed performers all over the world, black or white, that black people could have an incredible career in film. His determination to his career not only benefited himself, but also helped to empower performers all over the
He started his life with little money, but managed to make his way up to the Vaudeville Circuits: groups of magicians and comedians. According to medium.com, “The first black performer to appear in a Hollywood film as one-half of an interracial dance team (with Shirley Temple in The Little Colonel, 1935). Bill Robinson’s performance in The Little Colonel broke the “two-colored rule”: a rule in cinema stating that black and white actors couldn’t be in the same camera shot. His defiance of this deep-rooted rule helped pave the way for the next generation of black performers. In addition to his work with activism, Bill Robinson’s incredible acting and tap career spoke for itself. According to goldenglobes.com, “They would act and dance in three other films – The Littlest Rebel, Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, and Just Around the Corner (goldenglobes.com). ” The exposure of Bill Robinson showed performers all over the world, black or white, that black people could have an incredible career in film. His determination to his career not only benefited himself, but also helped to empower performers all over the