Dark Face: The Untold History of Race, Makeup, and Hollywood

Desirée J. Garcia, professor of film and Latino studies at Dartmouth College, tells the story of the makeup artists and hairstylists who entered the Hollywood studios in the late 1960s, the moment when the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission threatened the industry with a lawsuit for discriminatory hiring practices. Drawing on dozens of oral histories she conducted with these artists, Garcia reveals what they encountered as members of racial groups that were still in the minority both on and off screen. Partly a tale of makeup’s evolution to adapt to changing times, partly a history of work and workers, Garcia brings the voices of those who changed the face of the industry to the foreground, revealing a story of race and makeup that has been hiding in plain sight.