During the same summer as Woodstock, over 300,000 people attended the Harlem Cultural Festival, celebrating African American music and culture, and promoting Black pride and unity. The footage from the festival sat in a basement, unseen for over 50 years, keeping this incredible event in America's history lost — until now.
Direction
Questlove curates with DJ instincts—every cut hits.
Editing
Footage this untouched feels like time travel.
Director
Questlove
Stevie Wonder
Self
Lin-Manuel Miranda
Self - Artist
Chris Rock
Self - Artist
Tony Lawrence
Self - Harlem Cultural Festival Producer & Host (archive footage)
Nina Simone
Self (archive footage)
B.B. King
Self (archive footage)
Abbey Lincoln
Self (archive footage)
Mavis Staples
Self - Singer (archive footage) (voice)
Mahalia Jackson
Self (archive footage)
Sly Stone
Self - Performer (archive footage)
Hugh Masekela
Self (archive footage)
John V. Lindsay
Self (archive footage)
Ray Barretto
Self - Performer (archive footage)
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The 40+ hours of footage were discovered in a Bronx basement labeled 'to be thrown away'—the same reels had been used as a desk coaster.
The festival happened blocks from where Amadou Diallo was killed in 1999; the film deliberately contrasts 1969 hope with unfulfilled promises.
No ratings yet
Sign in to join the discussion — comments are spoiler-gated to your watch progress.
Discussion starters
US
