Blaxploitation — In the last article, we looked at the origins of Black horror, culminating in blaxploitation, a film subgenre with a complex history in entertainment. Although it originated in a number of genres, such as Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song, blaxploitation would eventually pervade horror, most notably Blacula.

Blacula not only investigated blaxploitation, but it also reinvented the portrayal of vampires, particularly Dracula. While Bela Lugosi influenced how vampires are represented in the future, William Marshall introduced vampire rulers to a new tragedy.

Many performers who followed in Bela Lugosi’s footsteps portrayed the role in a humorously rigid manner, but Marshall made a mark in Blacula. He played the role in a way that made African-Americans appear bright, strong, and well-spoken. Blacula’s success spawned blaxploitation in black horror films such as Blackenstein, Abby, Sugar Hill, and Bones.
https://famoustimes.com/blaxploitation-shows-2-sides-to-a-strange-coin/