Langston Hughes

Langston Hughes was the leading voice of the Harlem Renaissance, showcasing the dignity and the beauty in ordinary black life. The hours he spent in Harlem clubs affected his work, making him one of the innovators of Jazz Poetry.

This is a long version trailer of the documentary, Falling Together in New Orleans - A Series of Vignettes featuring music by Ani Difranco www.righteousbabe.com SOLO JOURNALIST & DOCUMENTARY ARTIST Farrah Hoffmire was inspired by grassroots organizing and volunteer efforts in the weeks and months after Hurricane Katrina. She has traveled to New Orleans numerous times to create a solo work that is part art-vignette, part documentary film and part grassroots journalism. In stark contrast to the failure and corruption stories that have dominated mass-media coverage, Falling Together introduces us to powerful people fighting to save lives, preserve culture and bring a sense of well-being back to New Orleans. Conceived as an ongoing, subscription-based platform to follow events in New Orleans as they unfold over the next few years, it also explores the ongoing complexities of rebuilding in areas of the city still severely damaged -- such as the Lower 9th Ward. The film features music by Ani Difranco as well as some of New Orleans s top musicians. The film series has been featured at the: * Oral History Association national conference (Little Rock, AR) * Langston Hughes African American Film Festival (Seattle, WA) * Lake Eden Arts Festival (Asheville, NC) * Zeitgeist Film Series (Tulane University, New Orleans) * Hurricane Katrina Campus Media Project (worldwide 2007-2008) *ConvergeSouth Film Festival (Greensboro, NC 2007) *Ani DiFranco U.S. Winter Tour (SouthEast 2007)

Ashley Bryan describes his love for poetry and performs 'My People' by Langston Hughes.

Illustrator and Author Charles R. Smith explains how he came to write his inspiring new picture book based on a Langston Hughes poem.

Positive Negatives -- A photographer with over half a century of experience, David Johnson has the distinction of being Ansel Adam s first African American student at the California School of Fine Arts (CSFA), now known as the venerable San Francisco Art Institute (SFAI). After graduating from CSFA David Johnson went on to establish his own studio on Fillmore Street diligently documenting the development of the neighborhood during the 40 s, 50 s, & 60 s. David Johnson combined his professional training as a photographer and personal interest in music to visually record the heydays of the Fillmore s clubs, dance halls and way of life. His work has been published in books such as Harlem of the West- as well as the KQED documentary The Fillmore. Another significant component of his work is his documentation of the civil rights movement in San Francisco, the NAACP registration drives, including the March on Washington. Included in Johnson s artistic vision was his desire to depict people positively in the presence of discrimination, thus capturing the emotions of the Civil Rights movement. His most published works are his images of ordinary African Americans, children and adults, going about the mundane routines, rites and rituals. He is likewise noted for photographing important African Americans. He has captured Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshal, A. Philip Randolph, ball player Jackie Robinson, poet Langston Hughes and musical icons Nat King Cole, Eartha Kitt, and T. Bone Walker. In addition to the influence of his teacher Ansel Adams, he cites his mentors Minor White & Ruth Bernhard. His work draws upon iconic photographers of the 20th century, Imogene Cunningham, Dorothea Lange, Gordon Parks, Edward Weston, and Homer Paige. Now in his 80 s, David Johnson still actively photographs his everyday world. He lives and works in the Bay Area.

In this film, we get to know Gary Simmons. Although a proud African-American, over the years, he s allowed the constant bombardment of negative cultural images and messages (from both within and outside his race) to gradually drag him down. Now, he struggles between the love he s supposed to feel for his people and the alienating affect of their negative - and sometimes embarrassing - behavior and attitudes. Ironically, it s during a chance meeting with another African-American that he s inspired to transcend the negativity. Inspired by the author s reflections on the Langston Hughes poem, My People.