
Directing
Stanley Nelson
7 July 1955 (71) New York City, New York, USA
- Directed
- 29
- Written
- 11
- Produced
- 14
- Movies
- 1
- Shows
- 1
Biography
Stanley Earl Nelson Jr. (born June 7, 1951) is an American documentary filmmaker and a MacArthur Fellow known as a director, writer and producer of documentaries examining African-American history and experiences. He is a recipient of the 2013 National Humanities Medal from President Obama. He has won three Primetime Emmy Awards. Among his notable films are Freedom Riders (2010), Wounded Knee (2009), Jonestown: The Life & Death of People's Temple (2006), Sweet Honey in the Rock: Raise Your Voice (2005), A Place of Our Own (2004), The Murder of Emmett Till (2003), and The Black Press: Soldiers without Swords (1998).
Known For
- 2026
- American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez · Film · Executive Producer
- The Color of Cola · Film · Director
- 2025
- We Want the Funk! · Film · Director
- Sun Ra: Do the Impossible · Film · Executive Producer
- True North: Canadian Myths and Black Power · Film · Executive Producer
- Critical Condition: Health in Black America · Film · Director
- Free for All: The Public Library · Film · Executive Producer
- The Inquisitor · Film · Executive Producer
- Becoming Thurgood: America's Social Architect · Film · Executive Producer
- Lani B. Supreme: Legacy · Film · Executive Producer
- Cindy Tran: From Here to Here · Film · Executive Producer
- 2024
- Hollywood Black · Series
- Disco's Revenge · Film · Executive Producer
- San Juan Hill: Manhattan’s Lost Neighborhood · Film · Director
- Sister Úna Lived a Good Death · Film · Executive Producer
- 2023
- Sound of the Police · Film · Director
- Birthing a Nation: The Resistance of Mary Gaffney · Film · Executive Producer
- Bulls and Saints · Film · Executive Producer
- Sydney G. James: How We See Us · Film · Executive Producer
- Jonathan Thunder: Good Mythology · Film · Executive Producer
- 2022
- Becoming Frederick Douglass · Film · Director
- After Jackie · Film · Producer
- Hazing · Film · Executive Producer
- 2021
- Crack: Cocaine, Corruption & Conspiracy · Film · Director
- Attica · Film · Director
- Tulsa Burning: The 1921 Race Massacre · Film · Director
- Harriet Tubman: Visions of Freedom · Film · Director
- Lynching Postcards: Token of a Great Day · Film · Executive Producer
- 2020
- Vick · Film · Director
- Black Panthers · Series · Director
- 2019
- Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool · Film · Director
- BOSS: The Black Experience in Business · Film · Director
- 2018
- The Story of Access · Film · Director
- Black Memorabilia · Film · Script Supervisor
- 2017
- Tell Them We Are Rising: The Story of Black Colleges and Universities · Film · Director
- Gavin Grimm vs. · Film · Executive Producer
- American Carnage · Film · Executive Producer
- Picket Line · Film · Executive Producer
- 2015
- The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution · Film · Director
- Mary Lou Williams: The Lady Who Swings the Band · Film · Executive Producer
- 2014
- Freedom Summer · Film · Director
- 2012
- Jesse Owens · Film · Producer
- Focus Forward: Short Films, Big Ideas · Film · Director
- 2010
- Freedom Riders · Film · Writer
- 2009
- 30 for 30 · Series · Director
- We Shall Remain · Series · Director
- 2008
- Faubourg Tremé: The Untold Story of Black New Orleans · Film · Executive Producer
- 2006
- Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple · Film · Director
- 2004
- A Place of Our Own · Film · Narrator (voice)
- A Place of Our Own · Film · Writer
- Beyond Brown: Pursuing the Promise · Film · Director
- 2003
- The Murder of Emmett Till · Film · Director
- 2001
- Marcus Garvey: Look for Me in the Whirlwind · Film · Director
- 1999
- The Black Press: Soldiers Without Swords · Film · Producer
- 1988
- American Experience · Series · Producer
- 1987
- Two Dollars and A Dream: The Story of Madame C.J. Walker · Film · Director
- 1985
- Frederick Douglass: An American Life · Film · Sound Recordist
- 1981
- Puerto Rico: Our Right to Decide · Film · Writer
- 1976
- Just Doin’ It (A Tale of Two Barbershops) · Film · Sound
































