John Singleton’s Boyz n the Hood Was Just the Start of a Fearless, Trailblazing Career

The Oscars So White debacle of 2015 opened a galvanizing conversation about how filmmakers of color might carve out greater opportunity in Hollywood. But John Singleton, who died Monday at age 51 following a stroke, was at the forefront of that battle long before we had a hashtag for it, ushering in a new era of creativity and boldness among black filmmakers. He showed through his work just how boundless the possibilities were.

The Oscars So White debacle of 2015 opened a galvanizing conversation about how filmmakers of color might carve out greater opportunity in Hollywood. But John Singleton, who died Monday at age 51 following a stroke, was at the forefront of that battle long before we had a hashtag for it, ushering in a new era of creativity and boldness among black filmmakers. He showed through his work just how boundless the possibilities were.