This groundbreaking study delves into the evolving representations of slavery in Hollywood, from Edwin S. Porter's Uncle Tom's Cabin (1903) to Antoine Fuqua's Emancipation (2022).

Antoine Guégan draws on extensive archival research-including scripts, studio correspondence, and censorship records-to trace how films have shaped cultural memories of slavery. He explores how iconic films like Birth of a Nation (1915) romanticized the plantation, while later works such as Mandingo (1975) and Slaves (1969) sought to expose the brutal realities of slavery, sparking backlash from white audiences but resonating with African-American communities.

Guégan goes on to examine the rise of counter-narratives by African-American filmmakers, such as Julie Dash's Daughters of the Dust (1991) and Haile Gerima's Sankofa (1993), as well as the ongoing tension between mainstream cinema's "white savior" tropes in films like Glory (1989) and Amistad (1997), and more radical reimaginings of the past. In doing so, he uncovers the 'cinematic memories' that have shaped our understanding of slavery and its enduring legacy in American culture.