Abstract
The invention of cinema happened at the very same time as the establishment of the segregation in the South. This social and political system, which advocated prejudices and inequality of races, is definitely going to stigmatize the nature of the relationships between the American cinema and the Black community. The story of the African American cinema should be understood as a constant hesitation between protest and integration. The B of a N was first screened in February 1915. For many reasons, this film has a very special status and a very strong meaning in the history of cinema: first because of its length (172 min), then because of its budget (100 000$), its cinematographic qualities and finally because of its huge success. The B of a N is a key movie insofar as it really influenced the birth of Hollywood and the beginning of the American supremacy on cinema.
