In celebration of the centennial of James Baldwin’s Aug. 2, 1924 birth, the Bob Dylan Center presents a screening of the little-seen, newly restored 1982 documentary, “I Heard It Through the Grapevine,” in which the brilliant writer and committed activist — featured in the current exhibition “How Many Roads: Bob Dylan and His Changing Times, 1961–1964” — reflects on the legacy of the Civil Rights movement and revisits sites of conflict and violence, bravery and creativity in the South. Filmmakers Dick Fontaine (“Malcolm X: No Sell Out,” “Who Is Sonny Rollins?”) and Pat Hartley (“Art Blakey: The Jazz Messenger”) follow Baldwin on a journey through this troubled terrain as he engages in conversation with writers, activists and community leaders, allowing their stories to flourish and their memories to serve as a collective narration of the ongoing struggle for equality.
Working with long-neglected footage, the Harvard Film Archive has beautifully restored “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” so that its images and messages resonate with renewed clarity and impact. Every frame is alive with Baldwin’s charisma, poise, intelligence and fearlessness. As poet and historian Sterling Brown reminds him, “Don’t forget, you’re not a sociologist. You are a visionary and you are a reformer.”
From pivotal works such as “Go Tell It on the Mountain” and “The Fire Next Time” to his participation in the March on Washington and lively interactions with Dylan, Baldwin imprinted his ethos on twentieth-century culture. This rare screening of “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” will serve as a timely reminder of Baldwin’s enduring importance and a life fully lived.
Details:
Friday, Aug. 2, 2024 at 6 p.m. CT
The Darby Family Screening Room
Bob Dylan Center
116 E. Reconciliation Way, Tulsa, OK 74103
Tickets:
Available online now at the link above or in-person on Aug. 2, starting at 5 p.m.
Note that the center will extend opening hours until 8 p.m. for First Friday Art Crawl
Free for Bob Dylan Center members
$5 non-members (includes limited access to the center)
