Based on a true story.  But, trust me, you’re not going to believe it.

Chameleon Street tells the life story of William Douglas Street, a master manipulator who manages to fool everyone in his life, even those closest to him, by reinventing himself over and over again. Throughout the film, Street transforms himself from a surgeon (who actually performs surgery), to a student at Yale (filmed on University of Michigan’s campus), to a Times reporter, to a lawyer; continuing to run from his true identity as a Black man even after he is arrested (twice). And, yes, it is a true story.

Wendell B. Harris, creator, actor, and star of the film joined us in the screening of the film in Detroit, the city in which it was filmed, at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African-American History. Chameleon Street had not be screened in Detroit in over twenty years. So, to have Wendell (as he asked to be called) join us to watch the film and participate in a panel discussion afterwards was truly an unforgettable experience.

Harris’ film does not just touch on identity issues that the African-American male faces, but slams into them head-on, addressing complicated and often avoided issues such as Black skin, White masks, where from childhood, Blacks are trained to have extremely negative associates with their identity, or “Blackness.”

The issues of the African-American identity presented in the film link directly with The Crown: Contemporary Construction of Self in America exhibit and the idea of self determination. Street’s desire to put on his “white mask” in order to be what society expects of him ultimately leads to his deterioration. The concept of Black pride and success can be a complicated one; however, The Crown project seeks to both challenge people to really think about the pressures Blacks face when it comes to identity, while uplifting them and empowering them to be self-determined.

Paige Robinson-Frazier. History of Art & Museum Studies

Follow Paige at @iampaipai