The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) is launching a multi-city film screening tour of the documentary film, gOD-Talk: Reimagining Faith in the 21st Century, including panel discussions exploring how and why African American millennials are creating new ways to engage with religion and spirituality. Originally premiering in October 2023, gOD-Talk is the first feature-length film from the NMAAHC. Tour updates, registration details and additional information can be found on the NMAAHC website.

The documentary undertaken by NMAAHC’s Center for the Study of African American Religious Life in association with the Pew Research Center is the culmination project of a five-year study exploring the lives of seven Black millennials—Atheist, Buddhist, Christian, Muslim, Ifa, and Spiritualist—and how they reimagine faith in the 21st century. The film was executive produced by Kevin Young, NMAAHC’s Andrew W. Mellon Director. NMAAHC curator Teddy Reeves is the film’s creator and producer along with director and writer, Kim Moir, NMAAHC museum specialist. The film includes narration from Javicia Leslie Walker, film poster design by artist Nikkolas Smith, and original music from Grammy winner Fantastic Negrito.

“gOD-Talk is charting new ground in the exploration of Black faith both in the scholarly study of religion and cinematic expression,” Reeves said. “The film gives millennials, the world’s largest living generation, the space to not only wrestle with the complexities of their faith—from issues pertaining to gender and sexuality, abuse and trauma, hip-hop, gentrification and more—but to discuss how they are fearlessly reconstructing their spirituality within or beyond the confines of their traditional upbringings.”

The gOD-Talk film tour and accompanying “talk back” panel discussions will take place at conferences, festivals, museums and community curations around the world. Registration and more details can be found on the NMAAHC website. Discussions will feature principals from the film and leading millennial voices. The film is rated PG-13.

2024 gOD-Talk Tour Schedule

January

Jan. 20; 2 p.m.–5 p.m.
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Wake Forest School of Divinity, Triad Cultural Arts, Forsyth County Public Library and  1LOVE Festival screening, reception and talk-back

Jan. 26; 4:30 p.m.–9 p.m.
Cleveland
Case Western University and East Mt. Zion AME Church

February

Feb. 17; 7 p.m.
Cincinnati
National Underground Railroad

Feb 18; 6 p.m.
Chicago
Samuel Proctor Conference

Feb 27
Tokyo and Osaka, Japan
Japan Afro American Friendship Association and Legacy Foundation screenings and book talk: Movements, Motions and Moments

March

March 6–9
San Jose, California
National Council of Black Studies, Stanford University

March 9
Evansville, Indiana
Evansville African-American Museum|

March 14
South Orange, New Jersey
Walsh Gallery, Seton Hall University

March 15
Honolulu
The Pōpolo Project, Honolulu Museum of Art

March 27
Hampton, Virginia
Hampton University Department of English and Foreign Language and School of Religion

April

April 5 and 6
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Phillips Theological Seminary

April 16
Providence, Rhode Island
Rhode Island Black Heritage and Brown University

April 17 and 18
Pittsburgh
Heinz History Center sponsored by Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, August Wilson Center, African American History Department at John Hines Center, Urban League and NAACP with book talk: Movement, Motions and Moments.

April 23
Indianapolis
IndyHub, The Exchange at Indianapolis Urban League, and Indy Black Professionals

Film principals include:

• Candice M. Benbow (Atlanta), multi-genre theologian and writer
• Rashid Hughes (Upper Marlboro, Maryland), yoga and mindfulness teacher
• Tre’vell Anderson (Los Angeles), journalist and author
• Chavonne Taylor (Los Angeles), host and producer
• Diamond Stylz (Houston), non-profit leader and podcaster
• Makkah Ali (Chicago), educator
• Michael Wortham (Brooklyn, New York), educator

About the National Museum of African American History and Culture

Since opening Sept. 24, 2016, the National Museum of African American History and Culture has welcomed more than 10 million visitors. Occupying a prominent location next to the Washington Monument on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., the nearly 400,000-square-foot museum is the nation’s largest and most comprehensive cultural destination devoted exclusively to exploring, documenting and showcasing the African American story and its impact on American and world history. For more information about the museum, visit nmaahc.si.edu or follow @NMAAHC on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.   

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