Watch American Graduate’s Too Important to Fail, Streaming now on PBS.org

The program, which aired on Tavis Smiley Reports, examines one of the most disturbing aspects of the education crisis facing America today — the increased dropout rate among Black teenage males. The broadcast is currently streaming on PBS.org a part of American Graduate, a public media initiative supported by CPB to help local communities across America find solutions to address the dropout crisis.

In this episode of Tavis Smiley Reports, Tavis travels across the country, speaking to education experts, as well as to the teenagers themselves about the challenges they face and how education can be redirected to address their needs. He profiles individuals who are making a difference in the lives of young Black males and looks at the schools that are best serving them.
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Tags: African American, american graduate, black, CPB, diploma, dropout, education, graduate, high school, male, PBS, tavis smiley, teenagers, The Wire

Live Chat: “Black Folk Don’t…What?”, Aug. 30 at 4:30 PM EST

Tags: African American, black, black folk, comedian, comedy, live chat, stereotype, the onion

Watch NBPC’s New Web-Only Series Mondo Black Online Now

Mondo Black, a series from our partners at the National Black Programming Consortium (NBPC), is streaming now on blackpublicmedia.org.

Mondo Black is a series of interviews and travelogues providing glimpses into the unique and inspiring realms that black American life occupies in the new millennium. The series visits some of today’s most creative minds and traverses a wide cross-section of subject matter to bring the diversity of the modern black experience into sharp relief.
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Tags: African American, mondo black, NBPC, onine, series, web

Digital Diaspora Family Reunion

Tags: African American, Diaspora, documentary, history

Whatever It Takes Premiering Tonight on Independent Lens on PBS

“The Week’s Guide to What’s Worth Watching: In Whatever It Takes, Edward Tom gave up an executive post at Saks Fifth Avenue for a far-lower-paying job as principal of a small public high school in the South Bronx. Cameras follow him through his first year as he struggles to deal with its challenges, epitomized by a failing 14-year-old girl whose mother is a recovering crack addict.”
- The Week Magazine

What’s a child’s education worth? For one visionary, rookie principal, it’s priceless. At the Bronx Center for Science & Mathematics, an innovative public high school in NYC’s South Bronx, principal Edward Tom leads a dedicated group of teachers, students, and parents in their biggest gamble yet. Within a community infamous for hardship, can this brand new school live up to its promise and inspire new stories of achievement and excellence?

Check out a preview of tonight’s broadcast below:

Whatever It Takes premieres tonight, Tuesday, March 30 at 10:00 on Independent Lens on PBS (check local listings). A co-production of CAAM.

Tags: African American, Asian American, education, New York City, schools, youth

Filmmaker Profile: Avon Kirkland Discusses Legacy of Sam Cooke

Documentary filmmaker Avon Kirkland didn’t follow the typical path to filmmaking – earning a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from Washington University in St. Louis and working as a research scientist and educational publishing executive before starting a career in television in 1972.

Since then, his work as a producer, director, and writer has focused on creating films that explore the rich history and culture of African Americans and their contributions.

His work has included numerous ground-breaking projects such as Up & Coming, a 25-part drama series about an African-American family struggling between working- and middle-class in San Francisco; Booker, a one-hour drama based on the childhood of Booker T. Washington; and numerous other films that aired on American Masters and public television including Simple Justice, Street Soldiers, and Ralph Ellison: An American Journey.

More recently, Kirkland played a pivotal role as executive producer of Sam Cooke: Crossing Over, on which he worked with producer/director John Antonelli to secure completion funding from ITVS. The film looks at the musical and political significance of composer, performer, and pioneering pop music entrepreneur Sam Cooke and the circumstances that led to his murder.

Check out this video where Kirkland explains the impact and importance of the legendary singer.

Learn more about this film >>

Read our interview with John Antonelli from last month >>

Tags: African American, Avon Kirkland, civil rights, John Antonelli

Shukree Tilghman: The End of Black History Month

ITVS offers viewers the opportunity to explore the rich and vibrant history and cultural contributions of African Americans throughout the year, but this month we’re offering a special slate of new and encore programs in honor of Black History Month. We recently asked Shukree Tilghman, filmmaker of the ITVS-funded film More Than A Month, to share his thoughts on Black History Month and why he believes it no longer exists. Read his take below.

Shukree Tilghman

It’s February, time to take a moment –– or a day or a week or the whole month –– to recognize, honor, and celebrate the unique and multi-faceted history of the African in America.

At least that’s what I thought February was about. Turns out I was wrong.

This seems an appropriate time to mention that I am smack in the middle of making an ITVS-funded documentary film, More Than A Month, which follows me on a cross-country campaign to end Black History Month (BHM). Through the lens of this journey, the film takes a critical, and sometimes comedic look at what it means that we have a black history month and what it would mean if we didn’t.

Well, I have some interesting news to report from the field: Black History Month has ended.

I don’t mean it’s March 1, I mean BHM has ceased to exist. That’s right. It’s over. Gone. Caput. I cannot tell you exactly when it ended, but it’s gone. And despite the film and the campaign within –– I didn’t do it (so don’t go pointing the finger at me). But you can follow the journey at morethanamonth.org. Okay, enough shameless plugs. Back to the point.

All evidence that I have collected so far, from “man on the street” interviews, to spending time at a black advertising agency and with BHM planning committees, to attending BHM events, points to a somewhat sudden truth. February is no longer Black History Month. Nope. It’s Black PEOPLE Month… meaning anything that has to with black life and culture is fair game in February. Anything.

Are you a black author? February book tour!

A black designer? February fashion show!

A black out of work actor? Don’t worry. February presents a plethora of opportunities for you, and most of them won’t be historical in nature so you can avoid the awkwardness of playing a “servant.” Well…most of you.

Are you a semi-famous political commentator with a take on racism? CNN has gigs for you, player!

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Tags: African American, Black History Month, independent film

Remembering the 42nd Anniversary of the Orangeburg Massacre

Today marks the 42^nd anniversary of the most unknown tragedy in the history of the civil rights movement. On 1968, police opened fire on the campus of South Carolina State University, leaving three young African American men dead and 27 wounded. Unlike a similar incident at Kent State, the incident did not make national headlines and there has never been an official investigation into what occurred that night. The film investigates the continued cover-up of the tragedy and follows ongoing efforts to seek justice.

Haven’t heard of the tragedy? Well, be sure to tune into public television this month to watch the ITVS film Scarred Justice: The Orangeburg Massacre 1968, where filmmakers Bestor Cram and Judy Richardson investigate the continued cover-up of the tragedy and the ongoing efforts to seek justice.

Watch an extended clip of this program below:

Scarred Justice: The Orangeburg Massacre 1968 airs in February on public television (check local listings).

A co-production of ITVS in association with the National Black Programming Consortium (NBPC).

Tags: African American, civil rights, social justice, South Carolina

Video Extra: Harlem in Montmartre: A Paris Jazz Story

In conjunction with Black History Month, Great Performances is airing a special encore presentation of Harlem in Montmartre: A Paris Jazz Story (check local listings). Based on the book by William Shack, the film looks at the impact of African American performers and musicians during the great jazz era of Paris.

In the video extra below, learn more about Louis Mitchell, a young black entrepreneur in 1920 Paris, who brought African American jazz musicians to Montmartre. Mitchell formed a popular quintet, made the first jazz recording in France, and opened all-night lunch counters to cater to inebriated club-goers.

Tags: African American, Great Performances, jazz, Paris

New Films Available on the PBS Video Player

ITVS programs regularly explore the rich and vibrant history and cultural contributions of African Americans. In fact, three ITVS films –– Brother to Brother, Hip Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes, and Life and Debt –– were recently recognized by The Grio’s “Ten Most Important Black Films of the Decade.”

In celebration of Black History Month, ITVS and PBS are offering a special slate of new and encore programs throughout February. Select programs are also available on the PBS video player. Be sure to check out the Independent Lens documentary February One: The Story of the Greensboro Four, which looks at the pivotal event in the Civil Rights Movement when four college students staged a sit-in at a Woolworth’s lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina in 1960. Also, be sure to check out last year’s Independent Lens Audience Award winner Adjust Your Color: The Truth of Petey Greene, which tells the unlikely story of America’s original shock-jock, Petey Greene, who battled the system and his own demons during a time of civil unrest in the nation’s capital.

Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes and P-Star Rising, both Independent Lens documentaries, will be available online February 10.

Visit the PBS video player >>

Tags: African American, Black History Month, online video, PBS