Museum of African American Cinema, Inc. (MoAAC): Rare Black Films

Films In Our Archives Include:

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MoAAC Info: Our Mission

Our Beginning
The Museum of African American Cinema (MoAAC) is a registered 501c(3) NYS and IRS nonprofit organization based in central Harlem and is the vision of Dr. Ernest N. Steele, Ph.D and Gregory Javan Mills, MA. Founded in 2001, the Museum is an independent community-based institution providing arts and cultural services and programs to the greater Harlem community and beyond. We are partially funded by: NYS Council of the Arts (NYSCA), local elected officials, private foundations, and private fundraising events.

The museum received its official museum designation charter provision from NYS Board of Regents in 2005.

Please Note: All donations to the museum are are tax deductible.

The new planned museum facilities that are in development will house the permanent archives and collections of three major African American institutions, including the:

►The International Agency for Minority Artist Affairs and
►New York State Black Films & Video Archives
►The Harlem Media Center

Dr. Steele, the chief archivist, began collecting Black film artifacts and memorabilia early 1980s shortly after he and Greg Mills founded the

Original & First: Harlem Black Film Festival.
Over the years our Black Film Festival has become legendary attracting Black movie buffs nationally and internationally from Altanta, GA; Los Angeles, CA; North Carolina, and Pennsylvania to overseas countries, like Germany, France, England, and Canada, to name a few places. And during the past twenty-plus years that our organizations have sponsored its Black Film Festivals, we have screened such "jewels" as:

Porgy and Bess
Uncle Toms Cabin (1905)
Spook Who Sat By the Door
We Cut Heads by Spike Lee
Sister, Sister
Dark Manhattan
Amos n Andy and
Black Wall Street

Lights! Camera! Action!

If you love vintage films and old movies or if you've been looking for that unforgettable Black movie you saw when you were young then you'll be thrilled by our extraordinary collection of rare and vintage African American movies, old films, movie posters, other memorabilia at the Museum of African American Cinema in New York, NY.

Are you a movie buff; film history enthusiast; an actor/director/producer; a student/scholar wanting to know more about the roles played by African Americans throughout American media history; or an emerging filmmaker? -- then you'll be treated to an experience that is as informative as it is entertaining. From the pioneering work of Bessie Smith to Spencer Williams to the strides made by Jim Brown to Spike Lee, you'll learn everything you ever wanted to know about African American films from beginning to present.

Come visit our tribute to African American Cinema in New York City, NY, -- showcased in the heartbeat of Harlem on 125th Street -- to screen rare black movies and old films, or view our nostalgic black movie posters, or finally find that great Black movie you've been searching for. Your eyes will pop! Your heart will tingle! And your memories will come alive!

"There is always somethin' going on!"

...

Our Programs

MoAAC Programs & Exhibits:

The museum will house the permanent archives and collections of three major African American institutions, including the

►New York State Black Films & Video Archives

►The International Agency for Minority Artist Affairs and

►The Harlem Media Center

And our permanent new facilities will establish MOAAC as one of the most prestigious depositories of rare and historical Black films, videos, documents, photographs, publications, costumes, soundies, movie posters, scripts, books, props, sound recordings, playbills, personal items and artifacts of African Americans entertainers from movies... television... and on stage. Our current collection consisting of over 35,000 artifacts is considered in the class of the New York Historical Society, NYC African Burial Grounds, and NYC Donnell Media Public Library.

heres-your-ticket

Our Programs:

During the past seven years, we have developed a strong history of providing programmatic services over the past twenty-six years, through our sister organization, International Agency for Minority Artist Affairs (IAMAA), by presenting major exhibitions in the Art Gallery of the Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. State Office Building in Harlem. These exhibitions included:

African Americans In Motion Pictures: The Phenomena of Race Movies which featured noted scholars and rare all-Black cast movies, known as "race movies" in the early days of Black filmmaking;

consisted of rare personal items including: gold records, performance contracts, posters and autographed pictures and

Presenting Dorothy Dandridge - Forgotten Icon which included rare personal memorabilia, clothing, jewelry, autographs, movie contracts, vinyl records, movie posters and photographs and, two scholars who lectured on her career.

All programs are free to the public! And as MOAAC moves forward on acquiring a larger permanent building, we envision continuing and building upon our successful 25 year history developing and providing programmatic services over the years by presenting major exhibitions in the Art Gallery of the Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. State Office Building in Harlem. These exhibitions included: African Americans In Motion Pictures:

The Phenomena of Race Movies which featured noted scholars and rare all-Black movies;

James Brown - The Godfather of Soul consisted of rare personal items, gold records, performance contracts, posters and autographed pictures and

And we are especially proud of our being chosen in July 2008 by the

United States Postal Services Philantic (Stamp Collectors) Division for hosting their inaugural New York Ceremony Introducing Black Cinema Legacy Stamp Collection Series

This Rare Black Film Gallery is from the private collection of and presented by The Museum of African American Cinema

Films In Our Archives Include:

This Rare Black Film Gallery is from the private collection of and presented by
The Museum of African American Cinema