One title that immediately comes to mind is Preminger's *Carmen Jones*,
in which Bizet's opera is "updated" and transported to the US: here, not
just a single character, but the entire piece is transported from the
mean streets of Seville to the mean streets of the south (and eventually,
Chicago).  Here, the entire cast is African-American.  (Harry Belafonte
plays Joe, aka Don Jose.)
Hope that helps.
David Levin
email: [log in to unmask]