More Than a Month - About the Film: One Man’s Quest to End Black History Month Becomes a Humorous and Provocative Look at Race in “Post-Racial” America
(San Francisco, CA) – Should Black History Month be ended? That’s the question explored by African American filmmaker Shukree Hassan Tilghman as he embarks on a cross-country campaign to do just that. Both amusing and thought provoking, More Than a Month examines what the treatment of history tells us about race and power in contemporary America. Written and directed by Tilghman, More Than a Month premieres on the Emmy Award-winning PBS series Independent Lens, hosted by Mary Louise Parker, on Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 10 PM (check local listings).
The film takes the form of a road trip that begins in Washington, D.C., crisscrosses the country during Black History Month 2010, and ends with an epilogue one year later. Combining cinema verité, man-on-the-street interviews, and inspired dramatizations, the film is a first-person narrative of the filmmaker’s quest to understand the implications of Black History Month.
Tilghman begins his research at home, but finds his parents dismayed when he suggests eliminating Black History Month. He then seeks a deeper understanding of Carter G. Woodson, the creator of Negro History Week, the predecessor to Black History Month.
