Melvin Van Peebles, godfather of Black cinema, dies at 89
2:44pm PDT - September 22nd, 2021 melvin van peebles - Associated PressNEW YORK (AP) — Melvin Van Peebles, the groundbreaking playwright, musician and movie director whose work ushered in the “Blaxploitation” wave of the 1970s and influenced filmmakers long after, has died. He was 89.