Michelle Parkerson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Michelle Parkerson
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Parkerson in 2014
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| Born | November 1, 1953 Washington D.C., U.S.
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| Occupation | Filmmaker and academic |
Michelle Parkerson, born on November 1, 1953, is an American filmmaker and a teacher. She used to be a professor of Film and Media Arts at Temple University. Since the 1980s, she has been making her own films. Her movies often focus on important topics like fairness for women and equal rights for all people.
Contents
Early Life and Creative Beginnings
Michelle Parkerson grew up in Washington, D.C.. In the early 1980s, she often performed spoken word poetry. She did this with her friend, Essex Hemphill, who was a poet and activist. They performed in coffeehouses and theaters around D.C.
In 1983, they received a special grant. This grant helped them create an "experimental dramatization" of their poetry. They called this project Murder on Glass.
Education and Career Journey
Michelle Parkerson studied TV and film production in college. She graduated in 1974 from Temple University with a degree in communications. For her graduation project, she made a short film called Sojourn. She worked on this film with cinematographer Jimi Lyons. Sojourn was so good that it won a Junior Academy Award!
Later, from 1991 to 1993, Parkerson attended a special program. It was the Directing Workshop for Women at the American Film Institute.
Filmmaking Work
Michelle Parkerson leads her own production company called Eye of the Storm Productions. This company is based in Washington, D.C.
She has received money and support from many important groups. These include ITVS and the American Film Institute. She also received a special fellowship from the Rockefeller Foundation.
Her films have won several awards. She received the Prix du Public at the Festival International de Films de Femmes in France. She also won the Audience and Best Biography Awards at the San Francisco International Film Festival. Her movies are shared and sold by companies like Women Make Movies and Third World Newsreel.
Besides making films, she also taught at Temple University. She was an assistant professor in Film and Media Arts.
Other Creative Works
In 1983, Michelle Parkerson also published a book of her poetry. It was titled Waiting Rooms.
In 2008, she was featured in a documentary film. This film was called black./womyn.: conversations with lesbians of African descent.
Exploring Themes in Parkerson's Films
Gloria J. Gibson, a writer, has explained Michelle Parkerson's films. She says Parkerson's movies "highlight the identities of black women as performers and social activists." This means her films show the lives of Black women who are artists and who work to make the world better. Gibson also notes that Parkerson's films help develop a unique style of Black documentary filmmaking. This style tries to show a complete picture of African American life.
Her documentaries have featured important African-American figures. These include jazz musician Betty Carter and the musical group Sweet Honey in the Rock. She also made films about activist Stormé DeLarverie and writer Audre Lorde. These films often focused on their work for fairness and equality for all people.
Parkerson also made a short film called Odds and Ends. This film is a science fiction story about the future, featuring Black characters.
Filmography
- Sojourn (1973, with Jimi Lyons)
- ...But Then She's Betty Carter (1980)
- I Remember Betty (1987)
- Urban Odyssey (1991)
- Storme: Lady of the Jewel Box (1991)
- Odds and Ends (1993)
- Gotta Make This Journey: Sweet Honey in the Rock (1983, as producer)
- A Litany for Survival: The Life and Work of Audre Lorde (1995, with Ada Gay Griffin)
Awards and Recognition
Michelle Parkerson's film A Litany for Survival: The Life and Work of Audre Lorde was recognized in 1995. It was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival.
See also
In Spanish: Michelle Parkerson para niños
