Why Black Stuntmen Had To Fight On Camera And Off

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PushBlack
June 13, 2019

Military veteran Willie Harris just knew Hollywood would have a place for a hard working Mississippi Black man eager to learn the craft of stunt work.

What he found instead was a secret only insiders knew existed.

Producers used white stuntmen “painted down” in blackface to stand in for Black leads instead of offering the gig to ACTUAL Black professionals.

Not only were jobs blocked but training academies as well.

While Harris and his fellow stunt professionals waited for their big break, they protected themselves by practicing their technique together in local parks.

The time finally came for one Black star to use his influence for change.

Bill Cosby refused to use a “painted down” double on the set of his TV series, I Spy.

Because of Cosby,  a man named Calvin Brown became the first Black stuntman employed by Hollywood. All the while, Harris kept up his underground fight.

By 1967, Harris helped found the Black Stuntman Association, which was created as a support network to help keep Black talent well-trained, employed, and represented in positions of power despite the discrimination they often faced.

Because of pros like Harris, who were willing to take risks to get their foot in the door and to keep that door open for others to follow, the industry has grown more diverse in front of and behind the camera.

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