John Legend Pitches “Black Wall Street” Series to Hulu

Musician and activist John Legend is re-pitching his idea, for a
“Black Wall Street” film series, to Hulu. Previously rejected by the company, Legend hopes that the newfound relevancy of the topic will move Hulu to rethink their decision.

“This is very relevant right now, and it needs to be told,” says Legend. “We had originally planned to do it with Hulu and then it didn’t get picked up, and we literally just wrote an email to our execs (sic) at Hulu like, ‘Yo, you need to pick this up!” [shared on the New York radio show The Breakfast Club].

When asked why Hulu originally passed on the show idea, John Legend stated, “I don’t know if they got it. I don’t think they understood how important the story was to the black community and how much it’s been a part of our folklore that we talk about with each other, and how important it is for us… (Now) I think a lot more white people are aware of how significant that moment was to us, and so I think they’ll give it a second look.”

“Black Wall Street,” located in Tulsa, Oklahoma, was one of the most prominent and flourishing African-American neighborhoods in the early 20th century. Abounding with businesses, this neighborhood was a symbol of financial freedom and liberation.

Tragically, in 1921, local residents were massacred and the area was burned to the ground. This was one of the most devastating massacres in the history of United States.

John Legend hopes to highlight this important history in his docu-series and bring it to the forefront of American minds.

Cover Photo by Eliot Lee Hazel