Luther J. Pollard: Ebony Film Corp. tells the tale of what has been called the first company to feature entirely black cast in their films. The company produced a string of comedy shorts from 1917 to 1918. Their productions were both praised and condemned throughout the nation. This book takes a look at company president and general manager, Luther Jay Pollard, his life, business endeavors and how he survived Ebony's collapse to reinvent the company and produce a 1920 feature-length movie, Do the Dead Talk? Exposed are Ebony's racially insensitive investors and those involved that caused the outcry. Included is a complete film directory, historic articles, photos and advertisements. The tale of Ebony films is both a comedy and a tragedy, and in the center of it, a young African-American entrepreneur who became a fixture of Chicago history.