Horror Noire: A History of Black American Horror from the 1890s to Present 2nd Edition

Robin R. Means Coleman

May 2023 · Tantor Media Inc · Narrated by Julienne Irons

About this audiobook

From King Kong to Candyman, the boundary-pushing genre of horror film has always been a site for provocative explorations of race in American popular culture. This book offers a comprehensive chronological survey of Black horror from the 1890s to present day. In this second edition, Robin R. Means Coleman expands upon the history of notable characterizations of Blackness in horror cinema, with new chapters spanning the 1960s, 2000s, and 2010s to the present, and examines key levels of Black participation on screen and behind the camera. The book addresses a full range of Black horror films, including mainstream Hollywood fare, art-house films, Blaxploitation films, and US hip-hop culture-inspired Nollywood films. This edition also explores the resurgence of the Black horror genre in the last decade, examining the success of Jordan Peele's films Get Out and Us, smaller independent films such as The House Invictus, and Nia DaCosta's sequel to Candyman. Means Coleman argues that horror offers a unique representational space for Black people to challenge negative or racist portrayals, and to portray greater diversity within the concept of Blackness itself. This book is essential listening for anyone seeking to understand how fears and anxieties about race and race relations are made manifest, and often challenged, on the silver screen.

About the author

Robin R. Means Coleman is vice president and associate provost for diversity and inclusion, chief diversity officer, and Ida B. Wells and Ferdinand Barnett Professor in the Department of Communication Studies at Northwestern University.

Julienne Irons loves all things true crime but has a knack for creating fun voices, which makes her a great choice for children's books and adult novels. With training from Tisch School of the Arts and various prestigious acting studios, she can bring any story to life and truly enjoys the work she's so honored to create.