On Thursday, February 29, 1940, African-American actress Hattie McDaniel became the first person of colour to win an Academy Award. This was the start of Hollywood's diversity and inclusion journey. Since then, minorities and women have struggled to be recognised within a system designed to favour white males. Hollywood Blackout chronicles the tumultuous stories of these disenfranchised talents from exclusion to inclusion; from segregation to celebration. The book interweaves the experiences of black actors and film-makers with those of Asians, Latinxs, South Asians, indigenous peoples and women. Throughout the decades their progress has been driven by defiant boycotts, civil rights protests and social media activism. The fascinating accounts of groundbreaking Oscar achievements are documented here as intrinsic parts of film history, where they belong.

Hollywood Blackout is a much-needed provocation to look more critically at the accepted narratives within film, and examine how the industry both reflects and influences societal views on race.