Through a Lens Darkly: Black Photographers and the Emergence of a People

Through a Lens Darkly: Black Photographers and the Emergence of a People is the first documentary to explore the role of photography in shaping the identity, aspirations and social emergence of African Americans from slavery to the present. Providing a window into the Black family photographic album, the film brings to light previously hidden and largely unknown images by both professional and vernacular African American photographers dating back to the very beginning of photography. These images show a more complex and nuanced view of American culture and society while exploring the ways African Americans continue to use the medium as a tool for social change.