!Sisters in the Spotlight!
Jessie Maple
1936 - 2023
Jessie Maple was a pioneering African-American filmmaker, cinematographer, and writer who helped open doors for Black women in the film industry.
In 1975, she became the first Black woman to join the International Photographers of Motion Picture & Television Union and later advocated for greater access and fairness in the industry.
Through her films Will and Twice as Nice, as well as her work establishing spaces for Black filmmakers in Harlem, Maple expanded opportunities for independent Black cinema.
Her legacy continues through the preservation of her work and archives, which recognize her contributions to filmmaking, labor advocacy, and Black women’s representation in American cinema.
Dawn Porter
1966 -
Dawn Porter is an influential African-American documentary filmmaker and founder of Trilogy Films whose work combines investigative journalism, law, and social-issue storytelling.
Through films such as Gideon’s Army, John Lewis: Good Trouble, and Deadlocked, she examines justice, race, public policy, leadership, and institutional power by centering real human experiences.
Her career is particularly significant for highlighting the perspectives and contributions of Black Americans and for using documentary filmmaking to preserve history, challenge social systems, and shape conversations about civil rights and justice.
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