Discover “a Black cultural movement unseen since the Harlem Renaissance” in this lively discussion and multimedia event with filmmaker/author Nelson George. His upcoming book, Brooklyn Bohemians: How the Funky, Fly, Soon-to-Be-Famous Black Artists of Fort Greene/Clinton Hill Changed American Culture, details Brooklyn’s rich creative legacy from 1985 onward. Around the neighborhood, Spike Lee and Branford Marsalis huddled with Public Enemy to create “Fight the Power” for Do the Right Thing. Chris Rock of SNL roared around in his red Corvette, while Mos Def and Talib Kweli hung out at Brooklyn Moon Cafe to hear Saul Williams’s latest spoken word epic. Erykah Badu, Laurence Fishburne, Rosie Perez and Colson Whitehead all lived a few blocks away, shaping music, film and literature.
Nelson George is widely respected for chronicling the Black experience in America through both his writing and filmmaking. His works include influential histories of African American music and culture, acclaimed novels, and numerous documentaries, including Brooklyn Boheme (Showtime), Say Hey, Willie Mays! (HBO MAX) and A Ballerina’s Tale (IFC).
