POV: Color Adjustment

It is rare when television examines itself and its influence on the American scene. It is even more rare when its self-reflection is done with intelligence, insight, and a sense of purpose. However, this is precisely the case with the study of prejudice against and current depictions of African-Americans on the home screen. From Amos ‘n Andy to The Cosby Show, Color Adjustment explores television’s vital role in marketing the American dream, and how that dream has evolved. From the lily-white early days of the 1950s to the multicultural, fragmented family of the 1990s, co-producer and director Marlon Riggs, along with co-producer Vivian Kleiman and editor Deborah Hoffman, have connected important images often relegated to history to dramatic contemporary narrative. The result is a revealing examination of the presentation of African-American life on television. For a timely and enlightening treatment of an important topic, a Peabody Award to Color Adjustment.