Connect With ‘The Black List Project’

Documenting the multifarious nuances of the Black experience is tough. Condensing the 200+ year chronicle from slavery to today and explaining that to a reticent “post-racial” mainstream society requires tact, skill, and the possibility that even with that hard work, you may miss the mark completely. Both CNN and HBO tried in 2008, and now HBO is following up with the DVD release of their highly ranked “The Black List Vol. I” with a slew of online marketing efforts.

For those not familiar with the series, here’s a primer. “The Black List Vol. I” reveals the diverse experiences of being Black in America through interviews and portrait sessions with leading African-American figures. Some of the featured celebrities include playwright Suzan-Lori Parks, music mogul Sean Combs, and acclaimed actor Louis Gossett, Jr., and their interviews. While the original release may have been overshadowed by lingering talk of CNN’s “Black in America” series, the project was selected and featured at both the 2008 SXSW Film Festival and the 2008 Sundance Film Festival.

The Black List Project is a sleek new website which complements their earlier “Who’s On Your Black List?” website, a user-submitted video contest where the four winning contestants received the same photography and interview treatment as the celebrity participants. In a further show of reaching out to their audience, The Black List Project also has a social media foothold with a fan page on Facebook, a Twitter account, and a YouTube playlist of some of the interviews from the DVD. 10% of proceeds from the sale of “The Black List Vol. I” DVD will go towards the United Negro College Fund and the Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. “The Black List Vol. II” airs February 26, 2009 as part of HBO’s Black History Month programming schedule.

View the full list of project participants, and check the trailer to get more information.