Stanley Nelson Jr. facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Stanley Nelson Jr.
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Stanley Nelson Jr. at the 2017 Montclair Film Festival
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Stanley Earl Nelson Jr.
June 7, 1951 |
| Education | New Lincoln School |
| Alma mater | City College of New York (B.F.A. 1976) |
| Occupation | Film director, producer |
| Awards | MacArthur Fellows Program National Humanities Medal |
Stanley Earl Nelson Jr. (born June 7, 1951) is a famous American filmmaker. He makes documentaries that tell important stories. Many of his films are about African-American history and experiences. He has won many awards for his work. These include the MacArthur Fellowship and the National Humanities Medal. He also has won three Primetime Emmy Awards.
Some of his well-known films are Freedom Riders (2010) and The Murder of Emmett Till (2003). He also made Jonestown: The Life & Death of People's Temple (2006).
Contents
About Stanley Nelson Jr.
His Early Life and School
Stanley Nelson Jr. was born in New York City on June 7, 1951. He was the second of four children. His mother, A'lelia Nelson, was a librarian. She also led the Madam C.J. Walker Manufacturing Company. This was a famous early Black business. It made hair care products and cosmetics.
His father, Dr. Stanley Earl Nelson Sr., was a dentist. He was a leader in reconstructive dentistry. He also supported the civil rights movement. Stanley's sister, Jill Nelson, is a well-known writer.
Stanley went to the New Lincoln School in Manhattan. He studied there from kindergarten through high school. He later went to several colleges. He graduated from the City College of New York in 1976. He earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in film.
His Amazing Career
After college, Stanley Nelson Jr. learned from filmmaker William Greaves. Nelson then wrote and produced his first documentary. It was called Two Dollars and a Dream: The Story of Madam C.J. Walker. This film was shown on PBS in 1988. It won an award for being the Best Production of the Decade.
Nelson started working at PBS as a TV producer. He made many important films there. His film The Black Press: Soldiers Without Swords (1999) was nominated for an Emmy Award. He also made Marcus Garvey: Look for Me in the Whirlwind (2000). This film was about civil rights activist Marcus Garvey. It won several awards.
In 2002, Nelson received a MacArthur Fellowship. This is a special award for talented people. He also got fellowships from other film groups. He helped choose people for the Fulbright Fellowship in film.
His 2003 film, The Murder Of Emmett Till, won many awards. These included a Primetime Emmy Award. It also won a Sundance Film Festival Special Jury Prize.
In 2011, Nelson's film Freedom Riders was featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show. This special show celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Freedom Riders. Nelson won two Emmy awards for this film.
His 2014 film Freedom Summer was about the 1964 civil rights movement in Mississippi. It won Best Documentary at the Pan-African film festival. In 2015, he directed The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution. This film also won an Emmy Award in 2016.
Nelson is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. In 2014, President Obama gave him the National Humanities Medal. He also received a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.
Nelson is a co-founder of Firelight Media. This group helps new filmmakers. He also co-founded Firelight Films, a company that makes documentaries.
What Films Has He Made?
Stanley Nelson Jr. has directed and produced many films. Here are some of them:
- Freedom Bags (1990)
- Schools for A New Society (1993)
- Puerto Rico: A Right to Choose (1994)
- The Black Press: Soldiers Without Swords (1998)
- Marcus Garvey: Look For Me in the Whirlwind (2000)
- Running the Campaign for City Council (2002)
- The Murder of Emmett Till (2003)
- A Place of Our Own (2004)
- Beyond Brown: Pursuing the Promise (2004)
- Sweet Honey in the Rock: Raise Your Voice (2005)
- Faces of Change (2005)
- Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple (2006)
- CNN Presents High Stakes (2006)
- We Shall Remain (Part 5) - "Wounded Knee" (2009)
- Immigration Part 1: Battleground Arizona (2009)
- Immigration Part II: Raid in New Bedford (2009)
- Immigration Part III: Guest Workers in the Gulf (2009)
- Arise: the Battle over Affirmative Action (2010)
- Freedom Riders (2010)
- Freedom Summer (2014)
- The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution (2015)
- Tell Them We Are Rising: The Story of Black Colleges and Universities (2017)
- Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool (2019)
- Boss: The Black Experience in Business (2019)
- Vick (2020)
- Attica (2021)
