I have always considered Black History Month a curious observance. My elementary school lined the halls with posters of Frederick Douglass, Benjamin Banneker, Dr. Charles Drew, Harriet Tubman and many other black history icons. We also recited Martin Luther King Jr’s., I Have a Dream speech. For one month (shortest month of the year) we were free to acknowledge the full scope and breath of the role black folks played in building this country. With the changing of the calendar, as February gave way to March, the posters came down and we returned to our history books with the obligatory chapters on slavery. Even then I would wonder, sometime aloud, why couldn’t we study these remarkable people all year? Why did we only get a month? Needless to say the responses were seldom, if ever, satisfying.
Fortunately I made it out of elementary school with a relatively healthy sense of self that over the years has served me well. And thanks to my role here at Comcast I now have the opportunity to extend the availability of great African American content beyond the days of February. Black Cinema on Demand will showcase the best in African American movies and documentaries and will be available long after Black History Month ends. Great stories featuring African American actors and film makers will be available at the touch of a button.
Access to content that validates ones cultural sensibilities should not be limited to one month but rather available at anytime to all those who want to see it. Now that’s a satisfying answer.
To get to Black Cinema On Demand select "Movies" > "Movie Collections" > "Black Cinema" on your On Demand screen.