The Green Pastures (1936): A Landmark in Early Black Cinema (90 mins)

The Green Pastures was released in 1936 and became one of the first major Hollywood movies with an all-Black cast. Based on a Pulitzer Prize–winning play by Marc Connelly, the film reimagines Bible stories through the eyes of Southern Black churchgoers.

Actor Rex Ingram stars as “De Lawd,” a kind and human-like God, guiding characters like Noah and Moses in a heavenly world filled with gospel spirit and down-home charm.

The movie was praised for its powerful performances and even earned an Oscar nomination for Best Picture — a rare honor for its time. But later, some criticized it for reflecting racial stereotypes common in the 1930s.

Still, The Green Pastures remains a milestone in Black cinema, remembered for giving African American actors leading roles and bringing Black spiritual culture to the big screen.

The cast included some of the most respected Black actors of the time:

• Rex Ingram as De Lawd

• Eddie “Rochester” Anderson (who later became famous as Jack Benny’s sidekick)

• Oscar Polk, George Reed, and Edna Mae Harris