Black Chariot

Robert Goodwin wrote, produced, and directed this lost gem of American independent cinema. Opening during a tense meeting between members of an underground Black Power group that leads to a stunning foot chase, Goodwin’s film weaves past and present to tell the story of the social awakening of a character only referred to as “the drifter” (screen legend Bernie Casey in his first starring role!). Shot on both 35mm and video and boasting a fierce, early performance from L.A. Rebellion icon Barbara O. Jones, Black Chariot is a fascinatingly iconoclastic revelation. Though world-premiered at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium in 1971, Black Chariot has remained under-screened for decades — until now.

4K Restoration by the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture (NMAAHC) with funding from the National Film Preservation Foundation. Additional funding provided by NMAAHC’s Earl W. and Amanda Stafford Center for African American Media Arts.