A backlight assembly for use in a transmissive display system is described. The backlight assembly includes a light source that illuminates a light chamber. A transmissive display is positioned adjacent the light chamber so that light that exits the chamber illuminates the transmissive display. The backlight assembly may include one or more specular reflectors and one or more other optical elements to ensure that the light that exits the light chamber has the desired spatial uniformity, polarization, color, and/or angular distribution.