For four years, Professor Jacqueline Stewart has been using her expertise in film to educate a broader audience. She initially served as the chief artistic and programming officer before becoming the director and president at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. This fall, she returns to the University of Chicago to continue teaching and focus on her scholarship.
During her tenure in Los Angeles, Stewart continued her role as a host for Turner Classic Movies, which began in September 2019. In 2021, she was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship. "It turned out to be very helpful to have such a demanding role when I received the MacArthur Fellowship," said Stewart. Her work at the museum prevented her from starting new research projects but allowed her to compile ideas and contacts for future exploration.
Stewart's published works include "Migrating to the Movies: Cinema and Black Urban Modernity" (2005) and "L.A. Rebellion: Creating a New Black Cinema" (2015), co-edited with Jan-Christopher Horak and Allyson Nadia Field. She founded the South Side Home Movie Project in 2005, which preserves amateur films by residents of Chicago’s South Side.
In an edited Q&A, Stewart shared insights from her time at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. She highlighted how her experience as a scholar supported her work there by combining scholarly rigor with accessibility for diverse audiences.
Reflecting on her years at the museum, Stewart learned that cinema is both unifying and divisive, sparking debate over issues like misrepresentation and inequities in the industry. Instead of resolving these contradictions, she embraced them by creating platforms for discussion.
She also discovered that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is more than just its annual Oscars broadcast; it is an institution dedicated to preserving film culture with archives and supporting filmmaking futures.
Stewart gained valuable skills in fostering collaboration across various fields within the museum environment. This experience influenced how she communicates goals internally with staff and externally with partners.
Her interactions with filmmakers have inspired new perspectives on teaching materials at UChicago. These first-hand insights complement traditional scholarly interpretations without replacing them.
While reaching wider audiences through the museum and Turner Classic Movies did not change Stewart's fundamental perspective on film history, it enhanced her ability to communicate historical insights effectively across different audiences.