The Blues Society
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Host a Screening

 

We’d like to talk! Host a screening with the director, interviewees & music!

 

We love to moderate screenings and discussions about music, race, and American history centered around The Blues Society

We’ve discussed our film in high school classrooms and college classrooms, with local blues societies, in libraries, churches, community centers, academic conferences and blues competitions from Mississippi to Vermont. We’d love to work with your group and moderate a meaningful discussion in person or via zoom. Email bluessocietyfilm@gmail.com to schedule a screening.

Interviewee Henry Nelson & Director Augusta Palmer are available to moderate discussions

Henry Nelson

Henry Nelson is synonymous with Memphis radio. For over 40 years, his presence has been an integral part of Memphis radio and Memphis music history. Henry played an integral role in moving forward the missions of the The Stax Museum of American Soul Music, The Overton Park Shell, and Memphis Public Libraries. He currently resides in Asheville, NC, one of the few American cities conducting authentic conversations around reparations for African Americans. He values building communities and is guided by the principles of equity, understanding, forgiveness and gratitude.

Augusta Palmer

Arkansas native Augusta Palmer is a filmmaker and educator based in Brooklyn, New York. She holds a Ph.D. in Cinema Studies from New York University and has taught film production and film production at N.Y.U., Brooklyn College, The School of Visual Arts, Sarah Lawrence College, and St. Francis College. Her fiction and documentary films have screened in festivals from New York to New Zealand. Her work has received funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities and for the New York State Council on the Arts. She is dedicated to ongoing conversations about equity, diversity and inclusion.

The goals for our outreach campaign are to:
Foster Increased Awareness about the history, cultural significance, and impact of blues, across the U.S. but especially in Memphis and surrounding areas of the Delta blues community. Blues music sparks dialogue and discussion among young people about the social and cultural issues it addresses, promoting empathy and understanding.

Create Educational Engagement that empowers young people through educational activities that deepen their understanding and appreciation of blues music, its history, and its cultural context. 

Provide a sense of Ownership and Legacy Building in young people so that they become advocates for blues music, its continued relevance, and appreciation for the artists.  

Inspire young people to explore their Artistic Expression through music, storytelling, and other creative outlets inspired by blues music. 

We've created lesson plans to provide educators and students with pre- and post-event resources to deepen understanding of the themes explored in the film. Optional live performances by musicians can also bring the material to life, while moderators will guide meaningful post-screening discussions, creating a dynamic and immersive learning experience. Director Augusta Palmer and Memphis radio legend Henry Nelson (seen above in a still from The Blues Society) are available to moderate or co-moderate. If you'd like to see a sample lesson plan created by our brilliant Outreach Producer, Kierra Turner, drop us a line at bluessocietyfilm@gmail.com