He was considered the godfather of modern Black cinema in the states.

Melvin Van Peebles, a Broadway playwright, musician and movie director whose work ushered in the “blaxploitation” films of the 1970s, once said that his work changed everything.  He said, “There are now women directors, Latino directors, Asian directors and black directors that are doing things that he made possible.

Van Peebles wrote numerous books and plays, recorded several albums and later became a successful options trader on the stock market.  He was also the father of film director Mario Van Peebles.

Melvin Van Peebles was 89.