Shaft

The original Shaft film was released in 1971 to both critical and financial success, ushering in the era of blaxploitation films. The 2000 film, directed by John Singleton, is a sequel to the original and follows NYPD detective John Shaft II, nephew of Shaft.

Film details
Shaft, 2000
Character John Shaft played by Samuel L. Jackson.

Materials
Leather, wool

Credit
Courtesy of Ruth E. Carter Costume Archive

Notes
In the film, Samuel L. Jackson wears a leather jacket and a black turtleneck, which nod to the 1970s style of the original Shaft film. The black leather jacket, is also a visual reference to the Black Panther Party who adopted the leather jacket as an unofficial uniform. The Black Panther Party, formed in 1966, advocated for a ten-point program that called for Black pride, an end to police violence, and housing and employment equity.

Supporting Imagery

Supporting Imagery Notes

Black Panther members demonstrating, image courtesy of The New York Times.