2017 Documentary Centerpiece

The story of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) began before the Civil War and influenced the course of our nation, yet remains one of America’s most important untold stories. Until now. With his new film, Stanley Nelson returns to the MFF to share the rich mosaic of stories that tell the true history of HBCUs. Operating at the margins of the American collective conscience despite their role in shaping Black life, dismantling segregation, and birthing and growing the Black middle class, HBCUs have been integral to the struggle for African American equality in America. Forget what you think you know: TELL THEM WE ARE RISING sheds new light on the inspirational path HBCUs have traveled from their inception as schools to educate the families of formerly enslaved Americans to the challenges they face today.

Director Stanley Nelson in attendance