Philanthropist Julius Rosenwald would have been 153 years old this week and his incredible legacy of giving now will be known with the release of my documentary, “Rosenwald.”
The film premieres in New York this Friday at the Landmark Sunshine theater. I composed an essay about why I found this man’s life of giving worthy of a film. This tribute is my gift to this amazing American on his birthday.
With the issues of racial inequality in the news this film could not being coming at a better time.
Twelve years ago this summer, I attended a talk at the Hebrew Center on Martha’s Vineyard to hear my hero, civil rights activist Julian Bond, talk about the relationship between Blacks and Jews, a topic close to my heart.
Fully expecting to only learn more about the ’60s Civil Rights era, I was surprised to hear Bond speak enthusiastically about the partnerships that Sears CEO Julius Rosenwald forged with African American communities decades earlier. Rosenwald partnered with educator Booker T. Washington and African American communities in the South to build over 5,300 schools to supplement the very meager education provided in the Jim Crow South in the early 20th century.
A flashbulb exploded in my head, and I decided on the spot that I would make a film on Rosenwald. His story fit perfectly into my pattern of making documentaries about under-known Jewish heroes.
I was fascinated to discover that Rosenwald’s backstory sounded like a modern-day immigrant saga or a start-up success story. Rosenwald’s father emigrated from Germany with only $20 in his pocket. Julius Rosenwald himself left high school at 16 and became a budding businessman who bought into Sears and Roebuck. Even without a formal education, Rosenwald had the know-how to shape Sears into the largest retailer in the world.
Yet Rosenwald was not content with being just a very wealthy man. He was inspired by the Jewish doctrine of “tikkun olam,” repairing the world. Rosenwald was so moved after reading Booker T. Washington’s “Up from Slavery” and seeing the racial injustices in America that he concentrated on addressing the ills of racism.
He did more than build schools. Rosenwald supported the building of 27 YMCAs for African Americans coming North, but who were barred from most hotels. Rosenwald also constructed the Michigan Garden Apartments as rentals for middle-class blacks when there was a dearth of housing for them.
Rosenwald’s philosophy of “give while you live” had no bounds. Lucky for our culture he also created the Rosenwald Fund that supported African American artists and intellectuals who Julian Bond describes as “the list of people who were literally a who’s who of black America.” The Fund had the foresight to support those talents early in their career, the likes of Marian Anderson, Jacob Lawrence and Gordon Parks to name a few that are our national treasures. We should learn from Rosenwald’s generosity to support budding artists and thinkers.
Rosenwald’s legacy of correcting society’s ills during the Jim Crow period is just as pertinent today as America needs to address racial inequalities in our society.
Rosenwald is being released just as we need to confront and cure the dysfunctional racism in our land. It’s time we rework the fabric of America and remove the racist policies and practices that exist and instill some humanity.Our country needs to be washed clean of the hate. Let us collectively view this story of Julius Rosenwald, who heard the call for change one hundred years ago, and walk out of the theater motivated to act.
Together we can repair the world.
11 Films That Could Ignite Independent Box Office (Photos)
The Wolfpack Crystal Moselle’s documentary Grand Jury Prize winner at Sundance is about the seven Angulo children, who were home-schooled by their parents and confined to their New York apartment. Everything changes when one of the brothers escapes. Magnolia Pictures opens it Friday.
Magnolia Pictures
Eden This French import follows DJ Paul, who pioneers the electronic dance music genre “French Touch” and, with his band Cheers, crosses party paths with Daft Punk. It debuts on June 19 via Broad Green Pictures.
Broad Green Pictures
Infinitely Polar Bear Featuring Mark Ruffalo as a manic depressive dad trying to win back his wife (Zoe Saldana) by caring for his two precocious daughters, this first feature from writer-director Maya Forbes is prickly but charming. “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” writer-director J.J. Abrams is an executive producer. Sony Classics opens it on June 19.
Sony Classics
The Overnight The full-frontal hijinks of Jason Schwartzman and Adam Scott have brought a degree of notoriety to writer-director Patrick Brice’s sex comedy “The Overnight.” But reviews out of Sundance make clear the lighthearted romp has more than that going for it. Taylor Schilling (“Orange is the New Black”) co-stars and Mark and Jay Duplass are executive producers. It opens on June 19 via The Orchard.
The Orchard
The Tribe This Ukrainian drama is set in a boarding school for deaf children that is rife with crime. Director Myroslav Slaboshpytskiy’s tale, in Ukrainian sign language with no subtitles, follows a new arrival who crosses the line when he falls for a girl he’s assigned to pimp. Drafthouse rolls it out on June 17.
Drafthouse
Big Game Featuring Samuel L. Jackson as the President of the United States, the film depicts the brash actor stranded in the wilds of Finland when terrorists shoot down Air Force One. His hopes for survival rest with a 13-year-old boy (Ommi Tommila). Felicity Huffman and Jim Broadbent co-star in the thriller directed by Jelmari Helander and set for a June 26 release by EuropaCorp.
EuropaCorp
Cartel Land Matthew Heineman’s documentary follows two vigilante groups — Autodefensas and Arizona Border Recon — that take on the Mexican drug cartels along the border. Heineman won top documentary director honors at Sundance for this unsettling look at the contemporary wild West, which was also honored for cinematography. Orchard rolls it out on July 3.
The Orchard
Do I Sound Gay? Writer-director David Thorpe’s smart and funny documentary takes a look at the speech patterns and stylings that make a “gay voice.” Margaret Cho, Tim Gunn and George Takei weigh in, too. It opens July 10 via IFC Films.
IFC Films
Tangerine The Caitlin Jenner story this ain't. The comedy-drama, another Sundance film, takes a look at the grittier transgender life of prostitute Sin-Dee Rella. Just out of prison, she and her trans friend Alexandra meet at Donut Time and chase down her cheating boyfriend and pimp Chester. Magnolia Pictures will debut it on July 10.
Magnolia Pictures
Amy The British documentary on the life and tragic death of torch singer and songwriter Amy Winehouse directed by Asif Kapadia drew raves at the Cannes Film Festival. It features new footage and tracks recorded by Winehouse in the months before her death and debuts July 10 via A24.
A24
War Room Alex Kendrick directs this faith-based drama about a Christian family facing marital issues. Karen Abercrombie stars as a wise older woman fighting to save the family. It opens via TriStar on August 28.
TriStar Pictures
1 of 12
From Samuel L. Jackson as a U.S. President stranded in a Finnish forest in “Big Game” to the hell-bent transsexual prostitutes of “Tangerine,” larger-than-life characters abound
Aviva Kempner is the co-director of "Imagining the Indian: The Fight Against Native American Mascoting" documentary.
Jessie Atkin is the communications coordinator for the documentary.