He Got Game

You don't need us to tell you who Spike Lee is. The prolific filmmaker and activist is highlighted as part of the Black Cultural Center’s Black History Month theme “Melanin in Media.” Screenings include Bamboozled (6:30 p.m.) on Feb. 24, BlacKkKlansman (6:30 p.m.) and School Daze (9:30 p.m.) on Feb. 25, and Clockers (6 p.m.) and He Got Game (9 p.m.), Feb. 26. Our pick for underrated and essential is Bamboozled, a satire about race and television; the screening will be followed by a panel discussion on Black cultural representation in film, including producer and Creative Cypher founder Troy Pryor, Department of Afro-American Studies assistant professor Brittney Edmonds and Department of Communication Arts associate professor Aaron Greer.

press release: Jake Shuttleworth (Denzel Washington) has spent the last six years in prison after accidentally killing his wife during a violent domestic dispute, leaving his son, star basketball prospect Jesus Shuttleworth (Ray Allen), to fend for himself. One day, the prison warden (Ned Beatty) approaches Jake with an unusual offer: He'll be given a week of parole to convince Jesus to attend the governor's alma mater, with the promise of a shortened sentence if he succeeds. Marquee Theater, Union South. 9-11:30 p.m. Information: film@union.wisc.edu

Black History Month theme for 2022: Melanin in Media: The People, The Culture, The Blackprint

Whether it’s a sports game, TV series, radio station, or an app, media is prevalent in our everyday lives. We define the media in a broad sense as capturing various outlets including, print media, social media, television, and more. Media has the power to shape the world around us with its purpose being to entertain and inform.

While historically excluded from media outlets, Black people have still paved the way and set the tone to influence not just the media, but popular culture as a whole. Our aim is to move beyond the blueprint set in American media and to include our stories by laying the foundation for the Blackprint. This month’s theme, Melanin in Media: The People, The Culture, The Blackprint, advocates for inclusion of Black culture within the mainstream media as it is often ignored among Eurocentric norms.

Black History Month at UW–Madison is brought to you by the 2022 Black History Month Planning Committee, the Black Cultural Center, and partners across campus.

Find more events at https://www.wisc.edu/black-history/