Film Matters: Please tell us about your article that is being published in Film Matters.
Drew Meinecke: My article is about the Paradise Theater in Detroit, which existed between 1941 and 1951. It was opened initially as a mixed, or integrated, theater, which opted to use Black acts and performers to attract a multiracial audience. I point out the significance of this all-Black stage show, in which famous Black bandleaders such as Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong headlined, to argue that the Black moviegoing experience was not inherently inferior to the white moviegoing experience, as Black Detroiters saw quality performances at the Paradise Theater. That being said, I also make sure to include the fact that Black Detroiters faced discrimination, segregation, violence, and poverty, to ensure that the audience has no doubt that systemic racism permeated throughout the north during this period. My article also touches on the Paradise Theater’s transition from its distinction as a mixed theater to its distinction as a Black theater, a theater that is designated as a primarily Black space. Additionally, my article explores the close relationship between the Paradise Theater, and the nearby Black neighborhood of Paradise Valley. Specifically, I examine the efforts of the Paradise Theater which uplifted this local Black community, and I discuss how residents of this community reacted to these efforts. I also touch on the Paradise’s broader philanthropy which extended across the nation, with the intention of demonstrating that the Paradise did not fit the stereotype of exploitative Black movie theaters. In all, the goal of my article is to help shed light on an important, and often overlooked, part of Detroit’s history.
FM: What research and/or methodologies do you incorporate in your article?
DM: I incorporated the use of newspaper sources from the time. I made sure to scour a wide variety of newspaper sources in order to see the Paradise from many perspectives. Entertainment newspapers and magazines such as Billboard and Variety served to be important in revealing the acts that the Paradise Theater booked, the actions of the theater’s owners, the revenue that the Paradise brought in, reviews of shows, etc. Mainstream newspapers such as the Detroit Free Press brought the viewpoint of white Detroit, and Black-owned publications such as the Michigan Chronicle brought the perspective of Black Detroiters, especially Paradise Valley residents. I additionally utilized scholarly books in order to gain the current understanding of Black moviegoing. These books supplied knowledge about where these Black theaters were located, what these theaters were like, and what the nearby Black communities were like. In terms of methodologies, I used a technique which aimed to be smaller in scope. I employed the use of community specificity, meaning that my article examined a particular area — in this case Detroit. This article is not a compare and contrast between cities in the north nor between theaters in different cities. Rather, this is a study of Detroit. In both newspaper sources and scholarly books, I made sure to specifically look for information about Detroit’s geography, population, businesses, communities, and theaters. Therefore, this article was not meant to be broad, but instead focused.
FM: Describe the original context for/when writing this article while an undergraduate student.
DM: This article is a continuation of the research that I have conducted since my freshman year of college. As a first-year college student, I studied live performance in movie theaters, mainly covering the 1920s-1940s. My main objective was studying the famous Black bandleader Cab Calloway. My targets included reviews of his performances, because during this time, famous performers such as Cab Calloway caused audiences to react excitedly. These audiences would shout, respond to his call-and-response style of singing, and would even dance in the aisles of the theaters. The objective of this search was to combat racist assertions that only Black audiences were rowdy and rambunctious. The reality was, famous bandleaders caused people of all races to respond excitedly. This led into my current article. My mentor suggested that I take a look at the Paradise Theater in Detroit, which eventually became designated as a Black theater. The current understanding of Black theaters is not ideal, because it presupposes a couple of things: (1) That the architecture, decoration, and size of Black theaters were always second to white, mainstream theaters; and (2) That the quality of entertainment at Black theaters was always inferior to white mainstream theaters. While these descriptions may fit some Black theaters, in no way can they represent the entire Black moviegoing experience. The Paradise Theater shatters these preconceived notions, so thinking back on my past research experience, I realized that a big part of this specific research involves challenging the negative stereotypes associated with Black moviegoing.
FM: How have your personal experiences shaped and influenced your writing?
DM: In high school, I took AP World History. My teacher was amazing. I remember one day learning about the idea of Eurocentrism, which is basically the act of exaggerating European achievement while downplaying the contributions of other peoples and cultures around the world. In this way, my teacher taught me the importance of telling the whole story. This is reflected in my writing. Some film scholarship sounds “Eurocentric” in that the achievements of white performers and the beauty of white theaters are always placed at the forefront, while Black performers and Black movie theaters are not covered as much and/or are always placed in a negative light. Therefore, my aim is to help tell the whole story, including rather than excluding Black performers and theaters, and highlighting instead of downplaying their important contributions to American culture and society.
FM: What aspects of the writing process were most challenging? Why?
DM: To me, peer editing is one challenging part of the writing process. As a writer, you get attached to your articles, so sometimes when I receive feedback, the first instinct I have is to become defensive. Additionally, if a reviewer suggests a lot of edits, it can become discouraging to look at because it makes it seem as if you have to start all over. Another difficult part of the writing experience is converting your research notes to body paragraphs. I had all of the facts and figures in front of me, but I still needed to find a way to craft an argument from them. I couldn’t just relay the information. I needed to interpret the findings and put forth my evaluation in such a way that it made sense. This took several tries, as sometimes I went out of order, or I misinterpreted the situation and had to reevaluate what happened.
FM: What do you enjoy most about your article?
DM: I love the topic! I could talk about it all day. Furthermore, when I reflect on my article, I realize that for the longest time I did not even know that this building existed. I live in the metro-Detroit area. I’m only about twenty minutes from Detroit, and I knew nothing about this. Therefore, writing this article ignited an interest in the city of Detroit. I enjoy the fact that this article serves as a reminder to me that I have only scratched the surface. This article has inspired me to inquire more deeply into the history of the big city that is so close.
FM: How has the Film Matters editorial and publication process impacted the development/evolution of your article?
DM: In preparing my article for publication, I noticed that the suggestions put forth by the Film Matters team have helped me to craft a more succinct, accessible, and hopefully more effective final product. The peer review especially helped me make my writing more professional, while also more understandable, as it identified parts of my article which were vague and unclear. Additionally, this process has helped me streamline my writing, as I went through and removed unnecessary words and phrases, which slowed the pace of my article. This definitely helped to make my article more engaging for potential readers.
FM: What audience do you hope to reach with your Film Matters article and/or what impact do you hope it has on the field of film studies?
DM: I hope to reach everyone! I believe that the Paradise Theater is an indispensable part of Detroit’s history, and anybody looking to learn about the city, be it tourist or urban historian, should learn about this theater. As far as impact on film studies, I hope that my article encourages more people to look into live performance and exhibition in movie theaters. Obviously film is important for film studies, but it would be remiss for us to ignore live performance, which was such a significant part of the moviegoing experience in the 1940s. Film scholars should be as equally educated on exhibition as film, that way the whole story will be passed on, rather than simply part of it.
FM: How has your department and/or institution supported your work in film and media?
DM: I conducted my research through a program at the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor called the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP). This program pairs student researchers with faculty mentors who help guide them through the research process and prepare them to present and publish their research. My mentor was amazing. Additionally, UROP has a seminar in a classroom setting led by peer advisors, who teach us research methods, ethics, integrity, and communication skills. Both of my peer advisors were extremely helpful and were there for me whenever I needed help. This learning experience gave me the confidence to present my research in front of audiences, as well as look to publish my research. More broadly, the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor has a vast digital archive, including one dedicated entirely to entertainment media. I utilized this extensive database to find important
newspaper articles about my topic.
FM: How has your faculty mentor fostered your advancement as a film scholar?
DM: My mentor, Doctoral Candidate Vincent Longo, has an excellent grasp of this field. Whatever questions I had about anything, he answered. I remember research during my freshman year was difficult due to the jargon of the entertainment industry, but Vincent helped me better understand the words and phrases that were frequently used back in the day. In addition, Vincent helped me to search more quickly and effectively through online newspaper databases and pointed me to helpful scholarly sources all along the way. Furthermore, I found scouring newspaper documents to be frustrating, as this took time and effort, and sometimes bore little reward; but Vincent made sure to offer words of encouragement throughout the process. Vincent helped me set realistic goals. At the beginning of each year, he helped me set up a timeline for my research so that I stayed on task. Finally, Vincent helped me to challenge the existing understanding of moviegoing, and his enthusiasm for his career was infectious. Essentially, Vincent guided me through the research process, so that, going forward, I have the skills I need to pursue further knowledge.
FM: What advice do you have for undergraduate film and media scholars?
DM: Don’t get discouraged and don’t let up! Put yourself out there. Try to speak with fellow scholars in your field so that there is an exchange of ideas. Look to challenge and/or reevaluate established positions in your field. Place a focus, too, on the less well-known aspects of film and media study, such as exhibition! Make sure that the entire story is told.
FM: What are your future plans?
DM: I plan to graduate from the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor with a degree in History and English. Following graduation, I intend to enter a PhD program in History with the goal of becoming a professor.
Author Biography
Drew Meinecke recently graduated from the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor with a double major in History and English. During his studies, he served as Editor-in-Chief of the Michigan Journal of History, an undergraduate-run scholarly journal. He plans to attend Northwestern University in the fall on a PhD track.
