Black History Film Series – Bessie

The film is directed by Dee Rees, with a screenplay by Rees, Christopher Cleveland and Bettina Gilois. Queen Latifah stars as Smith, and supporting roles are played by Michael Kenneth Williams as Smith’s first husband Jack Gee, and Mo’Nique as Ma Rainey.

A lively discussion with San Antonio local female artists Immediately follows the film.

This program was made possible in part with a grant from Humanities Texas, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.