Meet Ellis Haizlip, America's First Black Television Host

Midday on WNYC | Apr 18, 2018

Before there was Oprah, there was Ellis Haizlip. From 1968 to 1973, Haizlip hosted the public-television variety show SOUL!, which celebrated black arts and politics in a time when broadcast media was almost entirely white. Haizlip's niece, filmmaker Melissa Haizlip, pulls from archival footage and interviews in her new documentary Mr. SOUL! to examines the story of her uncle, America's first black TV host. 

Mr. SOUL! is premiering at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival. It will play on April 22 at 8 pm at the Tribeca Festival Hub, on Monday 23 at 5:45 pm at the Regal Cinemas Battery Park, on Wednesday at 9:15 pm at the Cinépolis Chelsea and on April 26 at 6:30 pm at Regal Cinemas Battery Park.

This segment is guest hosted by Alison Stewart.

 

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