I Am Furious Black: Short Films by William Greaves 1981-1988

In his fourth decade as a director, acclaimed filmmaker and producer William Greaves was making increasing amounts of commissioned work for national agencies and organisations. As such, his work in this era was of a more conventional style.

Space For Women, a training video, documents women's roles at NASA. Frederick Douglass: An American Life, made for the American National Park Services, Greaves uses a variety of approaches; scripted drama, interviews and narration, to expand the understanding of Frederick Douglas. The final film here, Black Power in America: Myth or Reality?, sees Greaves critically reflecting on the legacy of the Civil Rights Movement, and what Black Power meant in the 1980s.

This collection of films exemplifies Greaves' commitment to making space for Black narratives within the wider media landscape of America.