Academy Museum to host Regeneration Summit: A Celebration of Black Cinema

Jan 12, 2023

The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures announced the Regeneration Summit: A Celebration of Black Cinema, a three-day summit featuring live entertainment, workshops, screenings, panel discussions, and food vendors, programmed in conjunction with the museum’s groundbreaking exhibition Regeneration: Black Cinema 1898– 1971.

The summit will take place February 3– 5 and invite visitors to celebrate Black History Month at the Academy Museum in Los Angeles by exploring the history of Black participation in American film history and culture. The summit will convene film artists, activists, musicians, and key people dedicated to preserving Black film history, including, Julie Dash, the Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden, Janaya Future Khan, Shola Lynch, Justice Maya Singleton, and more.

The Academy Museum also announced the extension of Regeneration: Black Cinema 1898–1971, which will now close on July 16, 2023, and the launch of a new curriculum guide, which invites teachers and high school students to celebrate Black cinema, expand their understandings of historical context, and examine the importance of telling inclusive stories. Rooted in the question, “What does Black cinema mean to you?” the curriculum features modular sections that draw from scholarship featured in both the exhibition and its catalogue.

The curriculum introduces teachers to the Academy Museum’s approach to inquiry-centered learning. The guide includes select biographies of influential thinkers and filmmakers including Josephine Baker, Sidney Poitier, Madeline Anderson, and James Baldwin. It also includes explorations of the exhibition’s contemporary artworks–including work by artists Glenn Ligon, Kara Walker, Gary Simmons, and Theaster Gates–unique film companion pieces, topical essays exploring foundational ideas about race and film, as well as discussion questions and activities for active learning.

Additionally, throughout January and February, the museum will release original videos on its YouTube channel that serve as an expansion of Regeneration’s in-gallery experience and enable audiences to engage with the exhibition’s content from anywhere in the world. The first video, which dropped today, January 10, features a conversation with Regeneration co-curators Doris Berger, VP of Curatorial Affairs at the Academy Museum, and Rhea Combs, Director of Curatorial Affairs at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery, along with Jacqueline Stewart, Director and President of the Academy Museum, about Something Good—Negro Kiss (1898). This recently discovered short film is thought to be the first film to disrupt the minstrel stereotypes commonly associated with Black performances in the late 19th century by showcasing accomplished actors in smart attire engaging in mainstream pop culture satire.

“I am thrilled that the public will have an opportunity to experience the full breadth of this exhibition in such a joyful way, and that we are making resources—such as our curriculum guide, programs, and Regeneration website —more accessible to everyone,” said Jacqueline Stewart, Director and President of the Academy Museum. “The Regeneration Summit truly offers something for everyone, and I hope folks will come out to learn, share, and be inspired by the legacies of these pioneering Black film artists.”

Regeneration Summit: A Celebration of Black Cinema will welcome visitors of all ages, and general admission tickets will grant visitors same-day access to all related activities—including panel conversations and screenings. General admission tickets for the museum’s exhibitions are $25 for adults, $19 for seniors (age 62+), and $15 for students (age 18+ with valid ID); free general admission for visitors 17 years of age and younger is provided by an endowment in honor of Sid Ganis. As part of the SoCal Museums Annual Free for All day, general admission to the Academy Museum and the Summit on Sunday, February 5 will be FREE to all visitors.

For the duration of the Regeneration Summit, the Academy Museum Store will offer 15% off select Regeneration merchandise for guests shopping in-store.

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The schedule for Regeneration Summit: A Celebration of Black Cinema is as follows:

Around the Block Party
Friday, February | 6–10pm
The Regeneration Summit opens with an evening block party experience. The entire Academy Museum will come alive with various drop-in activities inspired by the exhibition Regeneration: Black Cinema 1898–1971, including a panel discussion, live performances, a mini food market, a workshop hosted by Black Girl Film School, intimate in-gallery pop up experiences, and more.

Panels and Performances

Black Joy! LIVE
6–10pm | Regeneration, L4 + Museum Galleries
Walk the museum floors and expect the unexpected through a series of live intimate pop-up performances paying homage to the history of Regeneration’s iconic Black performers. Performances will be curated by Street Poets Inc. and AMDA College of the Performing Arts.

Because It’s a Vibe
6–10pm | The Walt Disney Company Piazza
Enhance your vibes with a fusion of classic sounds inspired by the Regeneration era and live art powered by LA-based creative arts organisations DreamHaus and Zeal Co-Op.

What Does Black Cinema Mean to You?
7pm | Ted Mann Theater, LL1
This audience-guided program will convene some of the Black cinema’s leading voices to reflect on the big question, “What does Black cinema mean to you?” Featured panelists include film director Julie Dash and the conversation will be guided by Rhea Combs, co-curator of Regeneration: Black Cinema 1898–1971. The panel will be presented in partnership with the Academy’s Black Caucus, the affinity group for Black Academy members. Additional panelists to be announced.

Living the Legacy
9:15pm | Sidney Poitier Grand Lobby
The grandson of Cab Calloway, Joshua Langsam, and granddaughters of Fayard Nicholas, Cathie and Nicole Nicholas, join forces with musical accompaniment powered by multi-Grammy-award winning songwriter and record producer James Fauntleroy for a historic live performance honoring Cabell “Cab” Calloway and the Nicholas Brothers.

Activities

Next Generation of Cinema Workshop Series
6–9pm | Shirley Temple Education Studio, LL1
Hands-on workshop hosted by Black Girl Film School. Workshops will offer visitors of all ages the opportunity to explore fundamental skills in film production and the impact of Black women behind the camera through five interactive production stations.

ALL-Black Mini Food Market
6–10pm | The Walt Disney Company Piazza
The Walt Disney Company Piazza will be converted to a mini food market powered by Black Women Vend with live art activations and entertainment by DJ Iesha Irene.

Regeneration Maker Lounge
6–10pm | LL1
Visitors will have a chance to dive into a variety of fun maker activities while exploring the magic of Regeneration. All ages are welcome.

Regeneration Discovery Challenge
6–10pm | Regeneration, L4
The Academy Museum’s Teen Council created a series of individual and collaborative discovery prompts to further your exploration throughout the galleries. Upon completion of the challenge, you can enter for a chance to win a FREE one-year membership to the Academy Museum!

The Glamour Room
6–10pm | Netflix Lounge, L2
Las Fotos Project hosts a photobooth inspired by the iconic portraits featured on the glamor wall in Regeneration: Black Cinema 1898–1971. Enjoy a live and spectacular pop-up showcase with Black hair artists Lesley Bryant and Amber Mimz as they reimagine classic looks from some of Regeneration‘s featured icons.

Saturday Symposium
Saturday, February 4 | 10am–6:30pm
The second day of the summit convenes some of Black cinema’s brightest stars and those dedicated to protecting its history for a full-day symposium. Through thought-partnership, interactive learning activities and unconventional discussions, the Saturday Symposium will create opportunities for Black cinema enthusiasts of all interest levels to learn, grow, and build strategies together.

Panels and Performances

Spotlight On!
11am | Ted Mann Theater, LL1
An immersive journey through the enriching history of Black cinema in less than 15 minutes. This experience will challenge a team of scholars, creatives, and the families of Black cinema’s brightest stars to interpret the groundbreaking stories of distinguished figures such as Josephine Baker, Lena Horne, and James Baldwin through bite-sized presentations.

Featuring Terri Simone Francis on Josephine Baker; Michael Gillespie on James Baldwin; Ellen C. Scott on Paul Robeson; Allyso Nadia Field on Saint Suttle and Gertie Brown; Shola Lynch on William Alexander, and more.

Black Joy! LIVE
11am–5pm | Regeneration, L4 + Museum Galleries
Walk the museum floors and expect the unexpected through a series of live intimate pop-up performances paying homage to the history of Regeneration’s iconic Black performers. Performances will be curated by Street Poets Inc. and AMDA College of the Performing Arts.

Soundies 101: A Hidden History
1pm | Ted Mann Theater, LL1
Before music videos and the internet became the video platforms for musical artists, music lovers of the 1940s would drop a dime into a machine and enjoy what are known as “Soundies”—short films featuring song and dance numbers. This cinematic genre expanded opportunities for iconic Black performers such as Duke Ellington, Dorothy Dandridge, Cab Calloway, and many others. Learn about the racial tensions and triumphs of this special form of musical films through our dynamic Soundies 101 panel experience.

Featured conversation will include film historian Susan Delson, world-renowned jazz film archivist Mark Cantor, Academy Museum curatorial research assistant Manouchka Labouba, moderated by the Academy Museum’s Vice President of Curatorial Affairs Doris Berger.

Book Signing and Meet and Greet
2–3pm | Sidney Poitier Grand Lobby
Regeneration Summit’s featured speakers and talent will be hosting a meet and greet for visitors to make a deeper connection and learn more about their work. All books featured in the Regeneration collection will be 15% off for this weekend only.

Regeneration Cypher: Activism in Film
3:30pm | Ted Mann Theater, LL1
Drawing inspiration from the spontaneity and magic of a hip-hop cypher, entertainers, scholars, freedom fighters and leading voices in Black cinema intersect for an interactive conversation and performance art exchange. Featured panelists will explore the historical impacts of Black freedom movements in the film industry, and Black Hollywood’s role in influencing the continued fight for social justice.In response, a performing artist will interpret the presented ideas through their medium of expertise.

The conversation will include founder of the Black Film Archive Maya Cade, Black non-binary activist Janaya Future Khan, filmmaker and storyteller Justice Maya Singleton, and more to be announced.

The Western
5pm | Ted Mann Theater, LL1
Join us for an in-depth look into the complex relationship between the Western film genre and Black representation in American cinema. The conversation will culminate with an exclusive screening of the groundbreaking 1937 Western musical featuring an all-Black cast, Harlem on the Prairie— a film long thought lost and was recently restored by the Academy Film Archive.

This program will include perspectives from Vassar College Professor of Film Mia Mask, Associate Curator of Western History at the Autry Museum Tyree Boyd-Pates, and Executive Director of Urban Saddles Ghuan Featherstone.

Activities

Regeneration Discovery Challenge
10am–6:30pm | Regeneration, L4
Explore Regeneration through a series of individual and collaborative discovery prompts created by the Academy Museum’s Teen Council.

Because It’s a Vibe
Noon–4pm | The Walt Disney Company Piazza
Enhance your vibes with a fusion of classic sounds inspired by the Regeneration era and live art powered by LA-based creative arts organisations DreamHaus and Zeal Co-Op.

ALL-Black Mini Food Market
11am–5pm | The Walt Disney Company Piazza
The Walt Disney Company Piazza will be converted to a mini food market powered by Black Women Vend with live art activations and entertainment.

Regeneration Maker Lounge
11am–5pm | LL1
Visitors will have a chance to dive into a variety of fun maker activities while exploring the magic of Regeneration. All ages are welcome.

Next Generation of Cinema Workshop Series
11am–5pm | Shirley Temple Education Studio, LL1
Hosted by filmmaker and storyteller Justice Maya Singleton and founder of Sisters with Invoices Amelian Kashiro Hamilton. Workshops will offer visitors of all ages the opportunity to explore fundamental skills in film production and the impact of Black women behind the camera through five interactive production stations. Participants will also recreate a poster inspired by films featured in Regeneration.

The Glamour Room
11am–5pm | Netflix Lounge, L2
Las Fotos Project hosts a photobooth inspired by the iconic portraits featured on the glamor wall in Regeneration: Black Cinema 1898–1971. Enjoy a live and spectacular pop-up showcase with Black hair artists Lesley Bryant and Amber Mimz as they reimagine classic looks from some of Regeneration‘s featured icons.

Free Family Fun Day
Sunday, February 4 | 10am–6:30pm
As part of SoCal Museums Annual Free for All Day, general admission to the Academy Museum will be free to all ages. There will be a variety of fun and engaging activities for visitors of all ages to learn, collaborate, and continue the celebration of our groundbreaking exhibition Regeneration: Black Cinema 1898–1971.

Panels and Performances

How to Teach Black Cinema
11:30am | Ted Mann Theater, LL1
Join the Academy Museum’s Education Team for an interactive presentation exploring a variety of helpful inquiry-based learning strategies that will support your students to investigate the history of Black cinema. Participants will examine the brand new Regeneration: Black Cinema 1898–1971 Curriculum Guide and engage in an exclusive audience Q&A with Education team members. The program will culminate with a series of mini school tours throughout the Regeneration exhibition to apply exercises from the curriculum in real time.

After Lunch Talk with the Librarian of Congress
2pm | Ted Mann Theater, LL1
Join the Director and President of the Academy Museum Jacqueline Stewart and the Academy Museum’s Teen Council for a conversation with the Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden. Together they will investigate the power of film restoration and how it can serve to impact generations of today and tomorrow.

Activities

Regeneration Discovery Challenge
10am–6pm | Regeneration, L4
Explore Regeneration through a series of individual and collaborative discovery prompts created by the Academy Museum’s Teen Council.

Horsemanship 101 with Urban Saddles
11am–3pm | The Walt Disney Company Piazza
Learn fundamental horsemanship skills with cowboy and Executive Director of Urban Saddles Ghuan Featherstone. Then saddle up and show us what you’ve learned by taking a ride in our pop-up arena!

Regeneration Maker Lounge
11am–5pm | LL1
Visitors will have a chance to dive into a variety of fun maker activities while exploring the magic of Regeneration. All ages are welcome.

Next Generation of Cinema Workshop Series
11am–5pm | Shirley Temple Education Studio, LL1
Drop into a series of workshops hosted by the Academy Film Archive to reconsider the past and envision new histories. The workshop will offer the next generation of archivists, filmmakers, and memory workers a variety of interactive and fun activities to explore an introduction to film restoration and archival work.

Storytime with Baba the Storyteller
11am–5pm | Sidney Poitier Grand Lobby
Youth and families are invited to join a special presentation of traditional and communal storytelling with Baba the Storyteller. Before the start of story time, build your own personal percussion instruments in the Regeneration Maker Lounge to join in on Baba’s performance or take home with you to continue sharing your stories.