Summer of Soul is a documentary film directed by Questlove, and produced by David Dinerstein, Robert Fyvolent and Joseph Patel. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2021 and was released in theaters and on Hulu on July 2, 2021.
The film features never-before-seen footage of the Harlem Cultural Festival, which took place over six weekends in the summer of 1969, and featured performances by some of the greatest African American musicians of the time, including Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, Gladys Knight & the Pips, and Sly and the Family Stone, among others.
The festival was organized by Tony Lawrence, a local Harlem promoter and music producer, who wanted to showcase the rich and diverse cultural heritage of African Americans. Despite being held just months after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. and during a period of intense social and political upheaval in the United States, the festival was a peaceful and joyous celebration of Black pride and unity.
However, despite the festival's significance and its massive turnout – over 300,000 people attended – the footage from the event sat in a basement for over 50 years, largely forgotten and unseen. The film explores why this footage remained hidden for so long, and how its rediscovery provides a powerful window into a pivotal moment in African American cultural history.
Featuring interviews with festival attendees and participants, as well as archival footage and photographs, Summer of Soul offers a vibrant and deeply moving tribute to the power of music, community, and the Black experience in America.