In 1921, white mobs in Tulsa terrorized and burned down the Greenwood District, known as "Negro Wall Street." With the discovery of a mass grave, the city reckons with its painful past. In the early 20th century, racial violence erupted in dozens of cities across the United States. Hundreds were killed. Black communities fought back, rebuilt, and prospered in the face of extreme oppression and the evils of white supremacy.
Award-winning, acclaimed filmmaker Dawn Porter has emerged in the entertainment industry as a leader in the art of storytelling; directing and producing critically acclaimed projects that have impacted generations of people from all walks of life. As a two-time Sundance film festival director, Porter’s work has been featured on HBO, Netflix, CNN, PBS, MSNBC, MTV Films, and other platforms. She has been recognized with career achievement awards from the Hamptons and Mill Valley Film Festivals, is the recipient of the 2022 Critics Choice Documentary Awards “Impact Award,” and an honoree at the 2022 Gracies Leadership Awards.
In 2022 Porter’s work was highlighted in ESPN’s monumental initiative entitled Fifty/50 which follows the civil rights journey of women across the sports and cultural landscape. The initiative
commemorates the 50th anniversary of the passing of Title IX, the federal civil rights law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in any educational institution that receives federal funding
and gave women the equal opportunity to play. Porter co-directed “37 Words” with Oscar® nominee Nicole Newnham. “37 Words” is a four-part documentary series charting the
spectacular transformation that 37 words have inspired in American culture and the lives of women. “37 Words” premiered June 21 (Parts 1 & 2) and June 28th (Parts 3 & 4) on ESPN.
