ICE Theaters/BWC: July: David is Dying, July 4th and 5th

"Never has the story of the origins and history--the decline and fall and resurrection--of this black center of learning and intellect been told in more compelling fashion than in this marvelous documentary. I am assigning it to both my undergraduate and graduate courses at Harvard, and hope that all scholars of African and African American Studies will do the same. Truth be told, all students in high school and college throughout the world should be required to see this film, and learn of the history of our intellectual forebears whose very existence Europe and the West have, until recently, systematically denied. This film is a triumph!"

Henry Louis Gates, Jr.

One of the definitions for Timbuktu in the Oxford Dictionary is “any distant or remote place”. Featuring the knowledgeable commentary by African scholars, rich reenactments, and an original musical score by Vieux Farka Touré, the essential documentary The Manuscripts of Timbuktu critiques this limited view by firmly demonstrating that Timbuktu was once thriving and home to an advanced civilization. It was a leading cultural, economic, scientific and religious center that made a significant and lasting impact on Africa and the entire world. The film successfully documents that Africa had vibrant scholarly institutions and written cultures long before European intervention. It establishes the importance of preserving the thousands of manuscripts from long ago as an exciting and empowering legacy for Africana scholarship today.

Timbuktu was founded in the 11th century as a major city in the Mali Empire and its prominence lasted until the 18th century. During that époque, the area was often called, as it is in the film, (Western) Sudan, not to be confused with the contemporary nation located below Egypt. Timbuktu was a hub for the traders of goods from various locales south of the Sahara to the Mediterranean, as well as the Arab and Muslim worlds. Enslaved persons, salt, gold and other precious metals passed through and many cultures converged there.

Religious centers were founded there so that the traveling merchants could practice their faith. These mosques also became sites for the serious study of sacred texts. The relationship between religious institutions and intellectual life mirrored similar developments between the Church and universities in Europe. People learned Arabic to study the Koran and for commerce with Egypt and other lands. To indicate the breadth of connections between Timbuktu and different parts of the medieval world, the 14th century Emperor of the Mali Empire, Kankan Musa had the famous Djingereber Mosque built from the designs of an architect from Moorish Andalusia. This mosque is now designated a World Heritage site as is the Sankoré Mosque. The Sankoré Mosque also laid the groundwork for Sankoré University, which became the most famous university in sub-Saharan Africa.

Literacy among men, women and children was high in Timbuktu. Educational institutions generated what became known as the “Manuscripts of Timbuktu.” Among the Manuscripts were prayer books, writings on Mohammed’s moral teachings, texts in many languages (Arabic, Greek, Latin), essays, correspondence, poetry, literature, mathematics, astronomy and other sciences.

Black World Cinema, a showcase of seldom seen classic features and new films from around the world. Black World Cinema presents films by filmmakers that bring us story with compelling content and a human dimension seldom presented in mainstream cinema.

All screenings are followed by lively discussions moderated by program director Floyd Webb or Cecilia Horde along with local scholars, screenwriters and directors.

Screenings are the first Wednesday at
ICE Lawndale 10 Theaters
3330 W. Roosevelt Road, Chicago, IL 60624

Screenings are the first Thursday at
ICE Chatham 14 Theaters
210 W. 87th Street, Chicago, IL 60620