Black History Month With Jelani Cobb

“Black lives have been intertwined in this country’s history since before it even recognized itself as such a thing, deeply bound up in its aspirations, its contradictions, its halting progress toward the realization of its ideals,” shares Jelani Cobb, dean of Columbia Journalism School and staff writer for The New Yorker. He curates this year’s Black History Month collection through the lens of three thoughtful themes: Freedom in Black; Love, In Spite Of; and The Mosaic. “I sought to curate stories that point to the traditions of struggle, of creativity, of love and hope that have flourished amid the rocky soil of history. We have not survived by accident. We have not thrived by chance,” he says. “These are some of the stories I find fascinating, inspiring, and important.”

The esteemed journalist breaks down his three-part collection, love of cinematic storytelling, and the necessity for Black life onscreen.

Watch the short film.