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Portrait of Dorothy
West, is the story of an "upper crust" African
American woman who became a published writer in the
1920's.
Dorothy West was born in Boston's South
End, in 1907, to a former slave-turned-businessman,
Isaac Christopher West; and Rachel West, the granddaughter
of a slave owner and a slave girl. At the very young
age of nineteen, Dorothy went to New York to receive
a prize she shared with Zora Neale Hurston, for a short
story competition sponsored by the Urban League's Opportunity
magazine. That trip opened to Dorothy the world of Harlem
and the exciting movement that became the Harlem Renaissance.
Dorothy West's novel, "THE LIVING IS EASY",
published in 1948, depicts the vibrant life of middle
class African Americans in the Boston of the early 1900's.
explores this rich history through Dorothy West's eyes
and words. We see the Boston of "THE LIVING IS
EASY", the Vineyard of Dorothy's numerous articles,
and short stories; we relive her intimate memories of
the Harlem Renaissance; travel with her to Russia; and
meet some of those brilliant women who refused to be
crushed under the double yoke of rampant racism and
sexism. Weaving this story with extensive archival film
footage, photographs, correspondence and news clips
of the Harlem Renaissance, Russia and early Boston,
"AS I REMEMBER IT" presents a story that is
not only fresh but stimulating and enlightening.
WGBH-TV, September 1991.
First
Place in the 1992 Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame, Non-Fiction
category; Gold Medal in the Corporation for Public Broadcasting's
local programming competition; Honorable Mention in
the National Black Programming Prized Pieces, and was
nominated for an Emmy.
As I Remember It was shot on Martha's
Vineyard Island between 1989 and 1990.
Writer/Producer/Director - Salem
Mekuria
Camera - Kate Hudec
Sound - Francis X Coakley
Editing - Poppy Das
Distributed by Women Make Movies - www.wmm.com
Additional credits available upon request.
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Portrait of Dorothy West
Image from As I Remember It
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