Melvin Van Peebles was an actor and filmmaker best known for his influential 1971 film, “Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song.”Van Peebles wrote, directed, co-produced, and starred in “Sweetback,” as well as composing its score despite being unable to read music.
The result was a classic of indie cinema, created on a shoestring budget. Van Peebles’ other films include “Watermelon Man” (1970), “Identity Crisis” (1989), and “Gang in Blue” (1996).
He also wrote plays and novels, recorded music, and had a career as an options trader on the American Stock Exchange.In ”Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song,” the story of a man fighting police brutality, Van Peebles sought to create the first Black power film.
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