Act Black: posters of Black Americans on stage and screen – in pictures

A new exhibition at New York’s Poster House celebrates the work of Black performers on stage and screen from the 1880s to the 1940s. Many of these posters are the only surviving proof of certain shows, with no recordings of plays, and certain films, having been lost over time. They offer a history of Black Americans trying to counter harmful stereotypes and provide vital and humanizing contributions to a growing Black culture. Act Black: Posters from Black American Stage & Screen is on display from 13 March to 6 September. All words and images from the Poster House and curator Es-pranza Humphrey