1 9 0 5 , ▁but ▁most ▁race ▁films ▁were ▁produced ▁after ▁ 1 9 1 5 . ▁As ▁many ▁as ▁ 5 0 0 ▁race ▁films ▁were ▁produced ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁between ▁ 1 9 1 5 ▁and ▁ 1 9 5 2 . ▁As ▁happened ▁later ▁with ▁the ▁early ▁black ▁sit com s ▁on ▁television , ▁race ▁mov ies ▁were ▁most ▁often ▁fin anced ▁by ▁white - owned ▁companies , ▁such ▁as ▁Leo ▁Pop kin , ▁and ▁script ed ▁and ▁directed ▁by ▁whites , ▁although ▁one ▁producer , ▁Alfred ▁N . ▁S ack , ▁made ▁some ▁films ▁written ▁and ▁directed ▁by ▁black ▁talent ▁such ▁as ▁Sp encer ▁Williams . ▁Many ▁race ▁films ▁were ▁produced ▁by ▁white - owned ▁film ▁companies ▁outside ▁the ▁Hollywood - center ed ▁American ▁film ▁industry ▁such ▁as ▁Mill ion ▁D ollar ▁Produ ctions ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 3 0 s ▁and ▁Tod dy ▁Pictures ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 0 s . ▁One ▁of ▁the ▁earliest ▁surv iving ▁examples ▁of ▁a ▁black ▁cast ▁film ▁aim ed ▁at ▁a ▁black ▁audience ▁is ▁A ▁F ool ▁and ▁His ▁M oney ▁( 1 9 1 2 ), ▁directed ▁by ▁French ▁em ig ree ▁Alice ▁Guy ▁for ▁the ▁Sol ax ▁Film ▁Company . ▁The ▁Eb ony ▁Film ▁Company ▁of ▁Chicago , ▁created ▁specifically ▁to ▁produce ▁black - cast ▁films , ▁was ▁also ▁head ed ▁by ▁a ▁white ▁production ▁team . ▁ ▁Some ▁black - owned ▁stud ios ▁existed , ▁including ▁Lincoln ▁Mot ion ▁Picture ▁Company ▁( 1 9