In conjunction with the exhibition “Emory Douglas: Black Panther” at the New Museum, Jessica Green and Philip Maysles of Maysles Cinema have selected a series of films illuminating the history and legacy of the Black Panther Party with the guidance of Panther archivist Billy X Jennings. The series features three screenings at the New Museum on July 25, September 12, and October 17 with three additional screenings at Maysles Cinema in Harlem.

Program 1:
Public Enemy, 1999, 87 min
Dir. Jens Meurer
How was it that an organization labeled “public enemy number one” by the FBI produced some of America’s most exemplary citizens? While early Panther films occur at a rapid-fire pace to convey the urgency of revolution, Public Enemy unfolds with a calm that corresponds with the grace and repose emanating from its mature subjects. The film catches up with four Black Panthers who have lived extraordinary lives through the fire of government repression: Kathleen Cleaver, Jamal Joseph, Nile Rodgers, and Bobby Seale.

Maysles Cinema is a nonprofit theater dedicated to the presentation of documentary film and video. The cinema fosters a democratic viewing experience by selecting and presenting movies in collaboration with independent filmmakers, programmers, critics, local film clubs, and organizations. Maysles Cinema is located at 343 Malcolm X Blvd/Lenox Avenue, between 127th and 128th Streets.

“Emory Douglas: Black Panther” is curated by Sam Durant for the New Museum. Its presentation is organized by Laura Hoptman, Kraus Family Senior Curator, with Amy Mackie, Curatorial Assistant.