On Monday, February 12, 2018, Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, the nation’s first Historically Black College and University (HBCUs), will host an exclusive screening of the documentary film, Tell Them We Are Rising: The Story of Black Colleges and Universities. Cheyney will partner with public media provider, WHYY and Firelight Media, the film’s production company, to host the event which will be held on the historic campus in the Marian Anderson Music Center at 6:00 pm.

Written, directed and produced by award-winning documentary filmmaker Stanley Nelson and produced by Firelight Films, Tell Them We Are Rising examines the impact HBCUs have had on American history, culture and national identity. The 90-minute film begins with the earliest attempts at education and spans to today’s campuses.

Tell Them We Are Rising is also the centerpiece of a yearlong multi-platform effort, HBCU Rising that will celebrate and examine HBCUs through partnerships with national organizations, exclusive events, video shorts and an HBCU campus tour.

Filmmaker Stanley Nelson is renowned for examining the history and experiences of African Americans. He has directed and produced over twelve documentary features, including: The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution, Freedom Riders, Freedom Summer and The Murder of Emmett Till. Nelson’s most recent film, Tell Them We Are Rising premiered at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival to critical acclaim.

Nelson is also the co-founder of Firelight Media, a non-profit production company dedicated to advance contemporary social justice causes via the use of historical film, and mentoring, inspiring and training a new generation of diverse young filmmakers committed to advancing underrepresented stories.

Immediately following the screening, Cheyney will hold a panel discussion to further engage with viewers. The screening event of Tell Them We Are Rising: The Story of Black Colleges and Universities is free and open to the public. To register, visit Eventbrite.

For additional information, contact Thomas Nixon, Director of Residence Life & Housing at Cheyney University, tnixon@cheyney.edu. Also, stay connected with up-to-the-minute screening announcements by following CU on social media. Find our official accounts by searching the handle, @cheyneyuniv on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.