The Black Film Center & Archive, located in Wells Library, is inviting guests to its two-day open house Sept. 7-8. The event is free to the public and will allow visitors to tour the space, view items and learn more about what the center and archive have to offer.
The center at IU is the only place in the world dedicated solely to collecting and preserving Black films. They aim to show how race and racism has evolved on screen through various collections consisting of interviews, personal documents, scholarly writing and more.
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Dr. Phyllis Klotman established the center at IU in 1981 as part of the African American and African Diaspora Department during a time when such a space was hard to find. In the 2015 New York Times’ obituary for Klotman, Black filmmaker Charles Burnett said in the '80s that there wasn’t anything in the U.S. recognizing and showing interest in Black filmmakers, “...except for that little island at Indiana.”
For those unable to attend the open house, the center offers a 3D virtual tour of the space. The website also offers options to explore the center’s collections.
