Segments of a new documentary, "The History of Black Achievement in America," featuring African American faculty and students at the University of Colorado at Boulder will be filmed in Boulder March 29-30.
Prominent Hollywood actors serve as hosts for the documentary, including James Avery, who will appear in the Boulder segment. Avery, a classically trained actor and scholar, is best known for his role as the uncle, patriarch and attorney "Philip Banks" on the popular sitcom "Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" starring Will Smith.
Alphonse Keasley, director of the CU-Boulder Minority Arts and Sciences Program, is a co-producer of the project.
"Throughout the production of the series, we remained true to our original idea - to highlight black achievements that would encourage people to quietly say 'I didn't know that blacks did that,'" he said.
The eight-part series examines the accomplishments of African Americans during the past 400 years, from the first indentured slave to key figures such as Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice and Gen. Colin Powell, statesman and former Secretary of State.
CU-Boulder faculty participating in the project include Harry Reed and Adrian Gaskins from the department of ethnic studies. Â鶹ÒùÔº from around the campus are featured in the documentary as paid actors and extras enacting historical events.
Keasley said the documentary is ideal for use by educators from kindergarten to college level and should be ready for distribution to public television, schools and libraries in early summer. The cost of the series is yet to be determined.
Keasley is developing the project with co-producer Ron Meyer, owner of the Boulder-based production company Centre Communications, along with published author Mark Reeder. Grammy nominee David Arkenstone composed original music. Ambrose Video Publishers of New York will distribute the series.
For more information, contact Keasley at (303) 492-8261 or Alphonse.Keasley@Colorado.Edu.