Though most of the emphasis in the early to mid-1970s was on the hero, talented African American actresses did become fan favorites: Diana Sands, Rosalind Cash, Vonetta McGee, Denise Nicholas, Lonette ...

They were in posters on the walls of teenage bedrooms. Their names were the topic of emphatic conversations among friends. Their hair, feathered and voluminous. We’re talking about the big-name ...

Vonetta McGee, 65, an actress who played leading roles in blaxploitation films including "Blacula" and "Shaft in Africa," died July 9 at a hospital in Berkeley, Calif. She suffered cardiac arrest and ...