Rare Performances By Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone & More Featured In New Doc

Source: David Warner Ellis / Getty

Not very far from the acclaimed Woodstock Festival in Bethel, New York, a powerful celebration of black heritage was taking place.

In the summer of 1969, The Harlem Cultural Festival, just one hundred miles south of Woodstock, was home to a six-week event highlighting history, fashion and the black experience. Performers included Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, Sly & the Family Stone, Gladys Knight & the Pips and more.

Much of the footage was never seen and largely forgotten–until now. In his acclaimed debut as a filmmaker, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson presents Summer of Soul. Described as “part music film, part historical record,” the documentary “shines a light on the importance of history to our spiritual well-being and stands as a testament to the healing power of music during times of unrest, both past and present.”

Summer of Soul arrives on HULU and in theaters July 2.

The Latest:

• Letitia James Pleads Not Guilty In Mortgage Fraud Case 
• Black Baltimore County High School Student Handcuffed After AI Tech Mistook Bag Of Chips For Weapon
• What Happens If SNAP Stops? What You Should Know And Do To Protect Yourself
• Virginia Democrats Launch Surprise Redistricting Effort 
• ICE Running Wild In Chicago: Elected Officials, Staffers And Students Are Caught In The Crosshairs
• Target Cut DEI, Faced A Boycott, Now 1,800 Employees Are Out Of Work
• If SNAP Benefits Get Cut Off, White Grievance Will Eat Itself
• ICE Agents Swarm And Drag Blind Man, Who DHS Called A ‘Rioter,’ Despite Him Not Being Accused Of Rioting
• Trump Admin Announces New, Bootleg, Right-Wing Pentagon Press Corps After Mainstream Media Rejects It
• Surviving College: Howard Students Hustle To Stay Enrolled After Federal Aid Cap