This long-lost film documents the 1972 National Black Political Convention, where 10,000 black politicians, activists and artists met to forge a national unity platform. Assembling in advance of the Republican and Democratic presidential conventions, the NBPC delegates included a wide array of political thinkers from across the political spectrum. This gathering of great minds and powerful activists included Black Panther co-founder Bobby Seale, Pan-Africanist Amiri Baraka, PUSH founder Jesse Jackson, Coretta Scott King, Betty Shabazz, Fannie Lou Hamer, Queen Mother Moore (arguing for reparations) and elected officials Ron Dellums, Charles Diggs, Walter Fauntroy, Richard Hatcher and Carl McCall. Harry Belafonte, Dick Gregory, Isaac Hayes and Richard Roundtree lent their star quality and entertained the crowds. Best known for his avant-garde meta-documentary Symbiopsychotaxiplasm, William Greaves (1926–2014) was also the director of over 100 documentary films, the majority focused on African American history, politics, and culture. Nationtime is his report on the historic events of the convention narrated by Sidney Poitier and Harry Belafonte. The film was considered too militant for television broadcast at the time and has since circulated only in an edited 58-minute version. Now restored to its original 80-minute length and visual quality, this rousing and revelatory documentary celebrates a diversity of black voices, finding support and solidarity even amid expected tensions and divisions.
Thursday Jan 14, 2021
Wednesday Jan 20, 2021
1/14/21 - 1/20/21 $8 public, $5 Dartmouth employees Free for Hop members and Dartmouth employees
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Film on Demand: Nationtime