Acting Black: Vol. 1

I saw the Color Purple fort he first time as a freshman at Morehouse College. I was the only one in the room that knew I was a virgin of sorts. I sat in a buddies room in DuBois Hall and to my surprise, they all knew every piece of dialogue, every song, every dance, and could anticipate every transition. A couple of times the gleeful gaze on my face almost gave me away. This world was all so new to me.

I finally told them the following week that this was my first viewing of the movie and everyone was literally horrified. Horrified. They asked what type of family I grew up in and if I was "really black." Funny how support of a movie, to some, translates to so much more on this quest for authentic blackness. Good thing for me that I had seen The Wiz, they'd likely have asked me to leave the institution otherwise.



...I was perhaps more perplexed that I was the only one in the room registered to vote. I've since read the original novel by Alice Walker and seen the play presented by Oprah Winfry and liked them a whole lot more.

Oprah Winfrey Presents The Color Purple