Screenwriter Gregory Allen Howard, best known for his work on films such as "Remember the Titans" and "Harriet," passed away on January 27th at the age of 70.
Howard's career was defined by his ability to tell stories of perseverance, particularly those that centred around Black struggles and successes.
One of Howard's most notable works was "Remember the Titans," a film that was based on a true story of a high school football team that overcame prejudice in 1971. The movie, which starred Denzel Washington and Will Patton, was a box office success and grossed over $130 million.
Despite its feel-good message, the film faced criticism for taking creative liberties and not delving deeper into the systemic racial injustices of the time.
Another of Howard's significant accomplishments was "Harriet," a biopic on the life of abolitionist Harriet Tubman.
The project took over 25 years to go from script to screen and faced numerous obstacles, including resistance from Hollywood to take a financial risk on the story.
Howard attributed the film's eventual success to the success of other films such as "12 Years a Slave" and "Black Panther," as well as campaigns for greater racial diversity in Hollywood productions.
Howard was born in Norfolk, and graduated from Princeton University in 1974. He worked briefly on Wall Street before moving to Los Angeles to pursue a writing career.
He was also a visiting professor at Howard University, where he taught a screenwriting course.
Howard's survivors include a sister and brother, and two nieces and a nephew.
In a 2009 interview, Howard stated, "I got into this business to write about the complexity of the Black man. I wanted to write about Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali, Marcus Harvey. I think it takes a Black man to write about Black men."
Gregory Allen Howard's contributions to the film industry will be remembered for their ability to shed light on stories of perseverance and diversity.
Howard's career was defined by his ability to tell stories of perseverance, particularly those that centred around Black struggles and successes.
One of Howard's most notable works was "Remember the Titans," a film that was based on a true story of a high school football team that overcame prejudice in 1971. The movie, which starred Denzel Washington and Will Patton, was a box office success and grossed over $130 million.
Despite its feel-good message, the film faced criticism for taking creative liberties and not delving deeper into the systemic racial injustices of the time.
Another of Howard's significant accomplishments was "Harriet," a biopic on the life of abolitionist Harriet Tubman.
The project took over 25 years to go from script to screen and faced numerous obstacles, including resistance from Hollywood to take a financial risk on the story.
Howard attributed the film's eventual success to the success of other films such as "12 Years a Slave" and "Black Panther," as well as campaigns for greater racial diversity in Hollywood productions.
Howard was born in Norfolk, and graduated from Princeton University in 1974. He worked briefly on Wall Street before moving to Los Angeles to pursue a writing career.
He was also a visiting professor at Howard University, where he taught a screenwriting course.
Howard's survivors include a sister and brother, and two nieces and a nephew.
In a 2009 interview, Howard stated, "I got into this business to write about the complexity of the Black man. I wanted to write about Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali, Marcus Harvey. I think it takes a Black man to write about Black men."
Gregory Allen Howard's contributions to the film industry will be remembered for their ability to shed light on stories of perseverance and diversity.
