1970: The release of Cotton Comes to Harlem and Sweet Sweetback’s Baad Asssss Song herald the start of the blaxploitation genre. 1971: Shaft is the first big-budget blaxploitation film. Isaac Hayes wins Oscar for the music. Shaft’s Big Score! and Shaft in Africa follow. 1972: Two of America’s biggest pop stars provide the soundtracks to Trouble Man (Marvin Gaye) and Superfly (Curtis Mayfield). 1973/74: Pam Grier becomes blaxploitation’s first lady, starring in Coffy and Foxy Brown. 1976: Blaxploitation genre fades. But ensemble comedy Car Wash attracts black movie goers. 1982: Eddie Murphy explodes on to the scene in 48 Hours and becomes one of the Eighties’ biggest stars. 1986: Spike Lee releases his first film, She’s Gotta Have It, emerging as figurehead for African-American cinema. 1989: Denzel Washington wins Oscar for his role in Glory. Do the Right Thing sparks debate with its look at New York racial tensions. 1990: Whoopi Goldberg wins Oscar for Ghost. 1991: Boyz N the Hood inspires a host of gritty films depicting the black urban experience. 1992: The release of Malcolm X. 1994: Hoop Dreams, about aspiring basketball players, is a critical hit. 1995: Success of Waiting to Exhale shows there is a large audience for middle-class “female flicks”. 1997: Jackie Brown is a homage to blaxploitation. 2000: John Singleton updates Shaft.