Award-winning filmmaker Stanley Nelson is bringing his highly anticipated documentary on historically black colleges and universities to an exclusive screening in the School of Global Journalism & communication at Morgan State University.
The documentary Tell Them We Are Rising: The Story of Black Colleges and Universities studies the impact that HBCUs have had on American life, history and culture, starting with the beginning stages of education to the state of the HBCU campuses today.
Aaliyah Turnage, senior multimedia journalism major, has been the Morgan State coordinator rallying for students to attend the screening. Turnage stressed the importance of the attendance of African-American students at the screening.
“I want them [students] to really understand the purpose of HBCUs and I want them to appreciate where we are now,” said Turnage. “I feel like a lot of people who attend HBCUs compare HBCUs to PWIs [Public White Institutions] and it’s never going to be the same, especially with the funding, the culture and everything else HBCUs can give a student and I want them to understand the HBCU that they’re attending is going to make them who they are, as African-Americans, in the work field,” Turnage added.
Besides attendance, Turnage’s goal is to get students to support the events overall. The first hour of the event will feature a “For The Culture” social hour/reception for attendees to interact with vendors and more. The doors open in the second hour for the screening and following the film, a director’s panel discussion, featuring DeWayne Wickham, dean of SGJC and a guest from MPT.
“I want students to come out to support. That’s like supporting black businesses, we are black, we are African-Americans we should support what we are and who we are,” said Turnage.
The screening, Tell Them We Are Rising: The Story of Black Colleges and Universities, will be held Friday, Dec. 1 at 2:30 p.m. in the School of Global Journalism & Communication. According to www.hbcurising.com, the runtime is 90 minutes and will air live to the public on Feb. 18, 2018 on PBS.
