Medill Prof. Ava Thompson Greenwell presented “Hearing Silences,” a documentary detailing the history and experiences of Black women faculty at Northwestern over the years. The documentary premiered in the McCormick Foundation Center Forum Tuesday evening.
A journalist and documentary filmmaker, Greenwell became involved in the project in June 2020 after a conversation with former SESP Prof. Diana Slaughter Kotzin, a financial contributor and executive producer who was interviewed for the film.
Both Kotzin and Greenwell decided to trace and document over 50 years of Black history at the University. They said they hoped to create a film that could serve as required viewing for all new faculty, staff and students.
“I want them to have an understanding of where the University has come from and not to forget that there’s still work to be done in terms of diversifying the faculty,” Greenwell said.
The film narrated NU’s history starting with the 1968 Bursar’s Office Takeover, from the perspective of the Black community. The documentary began with a brief account of the Black students occupying the Bursar’s Office for 38 hours in protest of their discriminatory treatment. It later traced how this protest catalyzed decades of progress for Black students, faculty and the entire NU community.
The documentary’s archival footage, provided by Charla Wilson — NU’s archivist for the Black experience — immersed viewers in a familiar, but bygone NU, with clips compiled by director Eric Seals. Interviews featuring current and former Black faculty offered insight into the realities of the disrespect and discrimination endured by Black women in academia at NU.
After the film, Greenwell led a panel discussion about the film with Seals, Wilson and Kotzin.
During the panel, Kotzin recalled the unwelcoming workplace environment she faced when she joined NU faculty in 1977. At the premiere, she said she received no assistance from her white colleagues and realized that she would have to “learn how to do the job, on the job.”
The four speakers also discussed the significance of their individual involvement and their most powerful moment when watching “Hearing Silences.”
Greenwell said the documentary’s message brought out “the power of the students.” The documentary noted students at NU fiercely advocated for a stronger Black presence among NU faculty, as well as for the creation of what is now the Department of Black Studies.
During a Q&A after the screening, audience members thanked the film’s creators and contributors.
Medill Prof. Carolyn Keller said she came to the film hoping to learn more about the “voices you don’t hear” in NU’s history.
“What I wanted to take away was knowing that history, seeing people you don’t necessarily see and understanding what you can do now,” Keller said.
Keller’s sentiment was mirrored by Medill Dean Charles Whitaker, who showed his support for “Hearing Silences.”
In his closing remarks during the event, Whitaker described feeling “overwhelmed with emotion” at the project’s culmination, noting the timeliness of the film’s release at a time when workplace diversity is under ever-increasing scrutiny.
“Keep at it, keep the fight,” Whitaker said. “Keep telling our stories for generations to come.”
Email: yanajohnson2028@u.northwestern.edu
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