By Nsenga K. Burton, Ph.D, NNPA Newswire Culture and Entertainment Editor 5-4-3-2-1. The countdown has begun to the premiere of the Lifetime/A&E documentary of the life of pop superstar Janet Jackson. In celebration of the 40th anniversary of Janet Jackson’s eponymous first LP Janet Jackson (1982), the four-hour television event will take place over two days. […]
documentary
Janet Jackson Documentary Debuts on Lifetime Friday
NNPA NEWSWIRE — The fiercely private five-time Grammy award-winner who is part of the Jackson clan, an American musical dynasty, will open up about her rise to superstardom, complicated relationship with her superstar brother Michael, the infamous 2004 Super Bowl incident and subsequent blacklisting by the entertainment industry and becoming a mother at age 50. The internet is buzzing over speculation that Justin Timberlake, with whom the triple threat has had a seemingly precarious friendship, makes a surprise appearance in the documentary, executive produced by Janet and her brother Randy.
FILM REVIEW: The Best Films of 2021
NNPA NEWSWIRE — “I wanted to use this list as an opportunity to elevate some films that may have been undervalued or overlooked for a variety of reasons including subject matter, perceived lack of star power, genre or release date’” says NNPA Culture and Entertainment Editor Nsenga K. Burton, Ph.D. “Check out some of the top films of 2021, some of which you may not have heard and others you may not wish to forget as we head into 2022.”
PRESS ROOM: TWENTY PEARLS Documentary Film about First Black-Greek Letter Organization Now Available Nationwide
NNPA NEWSWIRE — “Telling our own story is essential to preserving our history and uplifting the culture,” said Dr. Glover. “Alpha Kappa Alpha’s remarkable 113-year journey is punctuated by stories of history makers, ceiling breakers, public servants and ordinary women who have changed the course of American history. Through this beautifully written and narrated odyssey, this film highlights, in undeniable ways, the vision, courage, tenacity, determination and power of Black women while dispelling any age-old questions about the relevance of HBCUs and the Divine 9.”
FILM REVIEW: City of Ali
NNPA NEWSWIRE — The film’s most poignant moments are Ali telling stories about the indignities he encountered as a Black man and the challenges he faced for his convictions. An incident in a racist restaurant turned into a favorite anecdote: Wait staff: “We don’t serve Negroes!” Ali: “I don’t eat them. So, serve me some food.” His position on the war in Vietnam, which cost him his title and boxing licenses and caused him to serve jail time, was summed up succinctly: “You want me to go somewhere and fight, and you won’t even stand up for me at home,” Ali raged to a room full of reporters.
PRESS ROOM: TWENTY PEARLS Documentary Film about First Black-Greek Letter Organization Now Available Nationwide
NNPA NEWSWIRE — Narrated by Phylicia Rashād, TWENTY PEARLS journeys through 113 provocative years. Only 40 years past the emancipation of enslaved African Americans, nine Black college women enrolled at Howard University where they organized and built a sisterhood in 1908.
‘Twenty Pearls’ AKA Documentary Shows the Vision and Impact of Black College Women
NNPA NEWSWIRE — Executive Producer and Alpha Kappa Alpha member Kimberly Esmond Adams believes anytime is the right time to tell this type of American story. “This story talks about the role that a group of college women, who were still finding their way in the world, yet were intelligent enough to understand that the world was bigger than them and they could do something concrete to make it better for everyone.”
Award-winning filmmaker, genealogist reveals intimate truth and personal histories of Upper 9th Ward Desire Community
NNPA NEWSWIRE — “This story of trials and tribulations teaches us, as only a few stories can, about the essential wisdom of pushing through when times get tough, learning to fight against all odds. (It tells) how many people in Desire preserved with grit and courage,” said Leonard Smith III, genealogist and award-winning filmmaker.

