Image Text:

GROUNDBREAKING DOCUMENTARY: Tariq Nasheed

IT’S BILLED as one of the most important cultural events to hit Birmingham for years – the European premiere of Tariq Nasheed’s latest groundbreaking documentary on how he claims people of African, Aboriginal and Moor descent have been marginalised throughout the world.

Hidden Colors 4: The Religion of White Supremacy is the latest in Nasheed’s Hidden Colors series where he highlights how he believes the achievements of people of colour down the generations have been left out of the history books.

And the Los Angeles-based author promises to pull no punches in this latest work where some of the world’s most respected historians, scholars, social commentators and rappers debate the white supremacy issue.

It’s a coup for Birmingham to take the limelight off London for the premiere and Nasheed admits he’s excited about the prospect of visiting the UK’s second city for the first time.

He told The Voice: “I understand that the people of Birmingham are experiencing the same kind of problems that we face in America such as a lack of the right education, marginalisation and the over-incarceration of African Caribbean people.

“Deception is the number one tool of the white supremacist. I want this film to empower and educate people because I believe there is a religious aspect to white supremacy. It’s a belief system which does not need logic to maintain it. We as black people need to form counter codes and economic empowerment to deal with this religion.”

Nasheed, who will also deliver a lecture after the screening, is adamant that the Hidden Colors series, which he says remains at the top of Amazon’s documentary charts, is not about ‘bashing white people.’ He says the films focus on the history of African people and what happened through the centuries to make them disempowered.

FEATURED: Historian Robin Walker

“We have to get over hiding our history,” he said. “Most documentaries about black or African people only talk about slavery, but my films discuss our history before slavery. We talk about the great west African empires, African rulers in Europe and the Africans who were in America before Columbus.”

Respected UK historian Robin Walker, a leading writer on ancient and medieval African history, is featured in the documentary, and he will also give a lecture following the film’s showing.

Walker, author of ‘When We Ruled,’ told The Voice: “For Birmingham this is one of the most important cultural events for years. It’s good to see how younger people who are internet savvy and web browser savvy are becoming more interested in black history.

“Previously, it has been confined to books, but now it’s more visual the younger generation is taking an interest. This is history we should be proud of, not ashamed of. The documentary is uplifting and thought-provoking. I would say to anyone – come and learn.”

The screening of the two-and-a half hour documentary is also a coup for Eric Mitchell, a well-known Birmingham tutor, who succeeded in tempting Nasheed to Birmingham.

He said: “Our history has been a crime of omission – things have been added and taken out, which has led to a loss of life’s meaning for many people. There has been no compass to guide them. Nasheed’s documentaries underline the importance of knowing our proper history.”

The screening will be from 4pm on Sunday June 5 at Millennium Point, Curzon Street, Birmingham. The event is expected to be a sell-out. Tickets are available from: www.hiddencolorstickets.eventbrite.co.uk or from Hatman, 54 Stephenson Street, Birmingham.