[python] Background color for Tk in Python

I'm writing a slideshow program with Tkinter, but I don't know how to change the background color to black instead of the standard light gray. How can this be done?

import os, sys
import Tkinter
import Image, ImageTk
import time

root = Tkinter.Tk()
w, h = root.winfo_screenwidth(), root.winfo_screenheight()
root.overrideredirect(1)
root.geometry("%dx%d+0+0" % (w, h))
root.focus_set()
root.bind("<Escape>", lambda e: e.widget.quit())
image = Image.open(image_path+f)
tkpi = ImageTk.PhotoImage(image)        
label_image = Tkinter.Label(root, image=tkpi)
label_image.place(x=0,y=0,width=w,height=h)
root.mainloop(0)

I know this is kinda an old question but:

root["bg"] = "black"

will also do what you want and it involves less typing.

Its been updated so

root.configure(background="red")

is now:

root.configure(bg="red")

widget['bg'] = '#000000'

or

widget['background'] = '#000000'

would also work as hex-valued colors are also accepted.

config is another option:

widget1.config(bg='black')
widget2.config(bg='#000000')

or:

widget1.config(background='black')
widget2.config(background='#000000')