Past Event: Moonlight & Movies | Summer of Soul

Celebrate Black History Month at a screening of Summer of Soul (...Or, When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised), Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson's Oscar-nominated documentary featuring the legendary 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival in Mount Morris Park (now Marcus Garvey Park). The concert film includes dazzling performances by Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, Sly & the Family Stone, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Mahalia Jackson, B.B. King, The 5th Dimension and more. Festivalgoer and "The Harlem Ambassador," Musa Jackson, will introduce the screening with Harlem community arts activist Yvette Russell. 

This program is the first of TWO Black History Month editions of Moonlight & Movies. Join us again on February 24th for a screening of The Brother from Another Planet, featuring an in-person introduction by Joe Morton!

This program will take place in-person in Ronay Menschel Hall (Ground Floor).

Event Timeline:
6:00 pm - Doors open, drinks and snacks available for purchase
6:30 pm - Film introduction
6:45 pm - Film begins  
8:40 pm - Film concludes, Museum closes

About the Speakers: 
Musa Jackson is a producer and online digital magazine publisher known as the Harlem Ambassador. He produced fashion shows for Diane Von Furstenberg, Carolina Herrera, and Betsy Johnson. He produced Rock & Roll Hall of Fame icon Nona Hendryx’s first Art show, posthumously Lena Horne’s 100 Birthday tribute, and the 45^th Anniversary Tribute for the classic film Claudine. He is the CEO and Editor-In-Chief of Ambassador Digital Magazine. He is prominently featured in the award-winning documentary Summer of Soul.  

Yvette Russell is the Chief Program and Partnerships Officer at Read Alliance. Prior to joining Read Alliance, Yvette served as Director of the Truce Media Literacy and Arts Program at Harlem Children’s Zone. She received the "Coming Up Taller" Award from The President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, participated in the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum National Conference, and presented at the annual Everyone Reading Conference. Yvette is a member of the New York Equity Coalition, Staten Island Alliance, Evaluation Committee for the Reads Initiative partnership, and Apollo Theater’s EmpowHer philanthropic organization. A Harlem resident of more than 20 years, she is the Vice President and Co-Events Chair of Marcus Meets Malcolm. Yvette holds a Bachelor's degree in Journalism and African American History from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. She has participated in advanced programs at Columbia University’s School of Business and Cornell University, New York Extension.

About the Film: 
In his acclaimed debut as a filmmaker, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson presents a powerful and transporting documentary—part music film, part historical record created around an epic event that celebrated Black history, culture and fashion. Over the course of six weeks in the summer of 1969, just one hundred miles south of Woodstock, The Harlem Cultural Festival was filmed in Mount Morris Park (now Marcus Garvey Park). The footage was largely forgotten–until now. SUMMER OF SOUL (117 mins.) shines a light on the importance of history to our spiritual well-being and stands as a testament to the healing power of music during times of unrest, both past and present. The feature includes concert performances by Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, Sly & the Family Stone, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Mahalia Jackson, B.B. King, The 5th Dimension, and more. 

SUMMER OF SOUL premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, where it won both the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award. It is streaming on Hulu in conjunction with Disney General Entertainment’s Onyx Collective; Searchlight Pictures released it theatrically.

Watch the Trailer:

Event Logistics (subject to changed based on NYC regulations):

• Proof of vaccination is required for entry to the event (everyone over the age of 5). Excelsior Pass is accepted for those who were vaccinated in NYS. 
• Masks required.
• Please note that no exhibitions at the Museum will be open, but we invite you to come back during our regular hours to check out what's on view.
• For more information about the Museum’s COVID Guidelines, please check our "Plan Your Visit" page.
• Please contact us at programs@mcny.org or 917.492.3395 with any questions or ticketing issues.
• Programs and dates may be subject to change. The Museum of the City of New York reserves the right to refuse admission to latecomers and/or those who do not provide requested Covid-19 documentation. Program tickets do not include Museum Admission unless otherwise noted.