Big Shots: Dr. Khalil Gibran Muhammad, director-designate of the Schomburg Center; NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and filmmaker Spike Lee scored big points with high school teens at a special event designed to encourage students to pursue excellence and scholarship.
On The Shoulders of Giants: Yesterday at the Schomburg Center, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the NBA’s all-time scorer/author/filmmaker, and Brooklyn-born filmmaker Spike Lee urged 300 students to find out more about their history and the giants who paved the way for them.
Right after that, Boys and Girls H.S. students invited New York Times photographer Ozier Muhammad, son of Dr. Khalil Gibran Muhammad, to speak at their school. He accepted.
The students were among 300 who viewed the moving documentary On the Shoulders of Giants, executive produced by Abdul-Jabbar, about the Harlem Renaissance Big Five, more commonly known as The Harlem Rens — the greatest basketball team you’ve never heard of.
The film, which was satellite simulcast, is accompanied by a high school level educational program developed by the Skyhook Foundation, established by Abdul-Jabbar. It will be available nationwide on VOD starting February 15.
Among those participating in the event were panelists Abdul-Jabbar, Deputy Chancellor Santiago Tavares, Dr. Howard Dodson Jr, NBA Commissioner David Stern with author/historian Cynthia Copeland moderating.
Lee and Abdul-Jabbar, great friends, are on a shared mission: to make sure that all people have African-American heroes to look up to and admire, and to inspire young people to, as Spike said, “learn the history.” To find out more about the film and the accompanying by a high-school level education guide. For more information: www.kareemabduljabbar.com/film