The term "blaxploitation" was coined by Junius Griffin, the then-head of the Los Angeles National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), in the early 70s as a criticism for the less-than-positive images of African Americans depicted in the genre, and his influence would later contribute to its demise.

In 1971, the film Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song was released. The film is often regarded as the best example of blaxploitation and credited as the first film of its kind.