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*The preeminent storyteller of the African-American experience, Stanley Nelson Firelight Films and The New York Times Op-Docs, the award-winning forum for short-form opinionated documentaries produced by independent filmmakers and artists, today released Black Colleges in The Age of Trump.
The film exposes the Trump Administration’s strained relationship with the leadership of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). HBCUs have been a haven for Black intellectuals, artists and trailblazers, offered a path of promise toward the American dream, educated the architects of freedom movements throughout the decades and cultivated leaders in every field. Stanley Nelson
NYT Black Colleges in The Age of Trump
The film provides a snapshot into HBCUs’ relationship with the current administration. The remarkable story of the more than 150-year evolution of HBCUs is presented in Nelson’s feature-length documentary Tell Them we are rising: the story of black colleges and universities, premiering on the acclaimed series Independent Lens on PBS, Feb. 19, 2018 at 9pm ET (Check local listings).
Written, directed and narrated by Nelson, Black Colleges in The Age of Trump uncovers the Trump Administration’s missteps that have elevated HBCUs to the national spotlight since he took office, including the awkward photo op in the Oval Office with President Trump and presidents of HBCUs, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos’ comments citing HBCUs as emblematic of her “school choice” philosophy and the overall lack of attention given to the critical economic issues facing HBCUs. Stanley Nelson
“The story of HBCUs is the story of a community that would not be denied, and of a powerhouse group of institutions that have shaped not only the lives of individual families, but the landscape of the country,” said director Stanley Nelson.
HBCUs have been one of the key elements in American history for African American progress, from slavery, Jim Crow to the Civil Rights Movement to President Obama. In the film, Nelson cites his own family’s trajectory on the path to the middle class via his parents. His mother graduated from Talladega College in the 1930s, his father from Howard University and Howard Dental School.
Included in the film are interviews with cultural critic and Howard University alum Jamilah Lemieux and Dillard University President Walter Kimbrough.
Many important historical facts are highlighted in the film, including that nearly every prominent Black leader of the 20th century was educated at an HBCU – from Thurgood Marshall to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.; Protest movements were started at HBCUs by students who initiated the lunch-counter sit-ins, establishing the origins of Freedom Summer, risking their lives for the fight over desegregation during the Freedom Rides. While currently fighting economic crises, HBCUs are still
critical engines for Black economic progress today and they remain anchors for the ongoing movements for justice.
lack Colleges in The Age of Trump is directed by Stanley Nelson, who produces with Monica Berra, who also serves as co-director and editor. Marcia Smith is co-producer. The executive producer is Kathleen Lingo, Lindsay Crouse is coordinating producer and supervising editor is Andrew Blackwell.
Begun by the New York Times opinion section in 2011, Op-Docs is a series of short, interactive, and virtual reality documentaries. Each film is produced with wide creative latitude by both renowned and emerging filmmakers, and premieres across Times online platforms. The goal of each Op-Doc is to present a unique point of view.
Honors for Op-Docs include two Oscar nominations, two News and Documentary Emmy Awards, two Peabody Awards and the World Press Photo Multimedia Award for Interactive Documentary — as well as official selections at leading international film festivals (including Sundance, the New York Film Festival, Telluride, SXSW and Sheffield Doc/Fest). Contributing filmmakers include Errol Morris, Laura Poitras, Alex Gibney, Casey Neistat, Roger Ross Williams, Jessica Yu, Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady.
About Firelight Media/Firelight Films
Firelight was founded in 2000 by Emmy-winning, National Humanities medalist, and MacArthur “Genius” Fellow documentarian Stanley Nelson and award-winning writer and philanthropy executive Marcia Smith as an independent production company dedicated to harnessing the power of story-driven media as a platform for education and action. Best known for producing high-quality powerful productions for PBS and creating dynamic community engagement campaigns to ensure their reach and impact, Firelight is committed to making films about pivotal events, movements, and people in American history. Firelight has won numerous awards and enjoyed great critical acclaim, with nine films premiering at the Sundance Film Festival. Past titles include Freedom Riders, Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple, The Murder of Emmett Till, A Place of Our Own, and Freedom Summer.
Firelight’s Documentary Lab is the largest program in the United States aimed specifically at developing the documentary projects and professional skills of emerging diverse documentary filmmakers. In 2015, The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation awarded Firelight with the MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions, for their demonstrated creativity and impact in supporting the talents and careers of a diverse new generation of filmmakers. Stanley Nelson
Tell Them We Are Rising: The Story of Black Colleges and Universities is the second in a three-part series called America Revisited that includes The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution, which was the most watched Independent Lens program ever, and the forthcoming, The Slave Trade: Creating A New World.
About The New York Times Company
The New York Times Company is a global media organization dedicated to enhancing society by creating, collecting and distributing high-quality news and information. The Company includes The New York Times, NYTimes.com and related properties. It is known globally for excellence in its journalism, and innovation in its print and digital storytelling and its business model. Follow news about the company at @NYTimesPR.
source:
Sharon Liggins
[email protected]
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