Questlove To Direct ‘Black Woodstock’ Documentary

Questlove will be taking his creative talent to the film space as he will be directing “Black Woodstock,” a feature documentary about the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival.

Held in Mount Morris Park in Harlem, the outdoor festival brought together a star-studded list of artists—Nina Simone, Stevie Wonder, Mahalia Jackson, and more—for a day of music and celebrating African-American culture and politics as well as black unity and pride. The event received little media attention despite bringing out 300,000 people the same year Woodstock was being held.

Black Woodstock will contain 40 hours of original footage shot by late television pioneer Hal Tulchin. “I am truly excited to help bring the passion, the story and the music of the Harlem Cultural Festival to audiences around the world,” The Roots drummer said in a statement. “The performances are extraordinary. I was stunned when I saw the lost footage for the first time. It’s incredible to look at 50 years of history that’s never been told, and I’m eager and humbled to tell that story.”

On top of Black Woodstock being his directorial debut, Questlove will be co-producing an upcoming Soul Train Broadway musical.