What exactly is Blaxploitation? Similar to film noir, Blaxploitation, a genre that dominated American theaters for a decade, doesn’t have a strict definition. You just sort of know it when you see it. These films locate interest in Black empowerment, and feature a set of stock characters: private dicks, slick pimps and pushers, and foxy women seeking revenge. Often Whitey receives the bulk of the ire, though anyone who undermines the community—no matter their race—is severely punished.
