What makes this film so special is its journey to the silver screen. In 1969 the Harlem Cultural Festival took place at Mt. Morris Park (which is now Marcus Garvey Park) in Harlem, New York. Over the course of 6 weekends from late June to late August 300,000 people attended the festival to hear from some of the most popular acts in the United States. Incredible talent lit the stage with colorful fashion, energy, and music. But because the talent was Black and a similar jazz blues music festival called Woodstock took place that same summer, the footage was difficult to sell and eventually was stored in a basement for over 50 years. It had never been seen, its music had never been shared until its world premiere debut of never-before-seen footage at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival where it won the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award in the documentary category. Finally, the world could hear the heart cries of the people of Harlem and witness the festival that was the “blooming rose among the concrete” livening up the people’s spirits with the biggest party Harlem had ever seen.

After the Oscars, the film went on to win Best Music Film at the Grammy’s a week later.  Questlove accepted the award recalling, “What a journey for this film since Sundance all the way until … last week,” then he laughed, “It just hit me that we really haven’t given much spotlight to what really matters in the film, which is all the beautiful artists that perform there.”

Summer of Soul is history. Black history. It is alive, vibrant, and thrumming to the beat of change for the Black community. And it is also an incredible Music film filled with sounds from Stevie Wonder, The Staples Singers, Nina Simone, Sly & The Family Stone, Edwin Hawkins Singers, and The Fifth Dimension to name a few. Blues, Jazz, Funk, Gospel, and R&B bump and jive through the crowd of 50,000. Artists recount their experience stepping onto the stage and seeing a park filled with a “sea of Black people” all the way up into the trees. For some, it was their first time seeing so many Black people together and shared it was a “powerful sight, like seeing royalty.”  

You should watch it to learn, to be inspired, to be encouraged and hopeful, to be reminded of where we have come from and where we need to be going. It is shameful this footage was filmed but never viewed until now. You get a firsthand witness of the community of Harlem, the new era of Black culture being born, and a history lesson in the dynamics of the Black community and their freedom fight. Performers shared words of violence and words of peace, calls to action, and calls to unity. Both groups, those who wanted change through peace and those who wanted change through any means, were in attendance. It was a festival for all, and it came at a time when the community was dealing with deep hurt and pain.

Summer of Soul is eye opening, exciting, and a look into a pivotal time in America through the eyes of the beautiful people of Harlem. Don’t let Black history be erased or forgotten, don’t miss the incredible feat of the filmmakers finding this gem and bringing it to light. Summer of Soul is streaming now on Hulu and Disney+, it waited long enough in the old basement, please don’t let this piece of history wait any longer.

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