The Harlem Cultural Festival in the summer of 1969 is often called the Black Woodstock.

The Harlem Cultural Festival was an event that comprised SIX FREE concerts filled to the brim with talent. The bill over the span of the shows featured Stevie Wonder, B. B. King, Sly and the Family Stone, Nina Simone, The Staple Singers, etc. The list went on and on. as you can see from the poster below. Sly and the Family Stone played BOTH venues that summer.

Listen to a 2009 NPR recollection at their website, or at blackamericaweb.com  to get a feel of the event:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=111922784

https://blackamericaweb.com/2017/09/19/little-known-black-history-fact-hal-tulchin/

This is history. A videographer named Hal Tulchin, filmed and recorded the happening for posterity. I like the word happening. So '60s. Happening. All I can see are fringed vests, bell bottoms, bandanas and beads for days. Anyhoo, it seems posterity wasn't interested in the footage the man shot from the festival. That is until said languishing footage was uncovered. Et Voila! A documentary is in the making. At least 50 hours of performances were captured. 90-year-old Hal Tulchin passed but lived long enough to know that his work would be seen.

Well done, Mister Tulchin.





info courtesy NPR.org and blackamericaweb.com