Black When I Was A Boy is an honest, moving, and even humorous look at a complex, fascinating, and powerful coming of age story. It’s Cooper Bates’ autobiographical recollection of the extraordinary inner life of his younger self – Frankie Bates. Growing up as a black child in a small caucasian community in Kansas (population 1,500), Bates never saw himself as black until he was cast as Nigger Jim in the school production of Huckleberry Finn in 6th grade.
Cooper Bates (Playwright & Performer) was born in Kansas, but raised by the world. After a college stint on a wrestling scholarship, Bates settled in Dallas, Texas to study acting full time at Kim Dawson’s Acting Conservatory. Before long, Bates was invited to Los Angeles by a casting director. When a motorcycle accident forced a hiatus from acting, Bates took the opportunity to visit Haiti as an educator. After returning to Los Angeles, Bates wrote and directed 15 short films, directed a dozen plays, and wrote nine screenplays. Ultimately, an acting partner approached Bates with an idea to trademark the name “Hint Mint” as a breath mint company and sell it to fund their artistic endeavors — a six month plan that turned into a 15 year, small business odyssey. Black When I Was A Boy is a turn back to his passion.
