The clock was pushing 10:40 last Saturday morning when the credits rolled in one of the movie houses at the Charles Theatre. Most in the group of about 50 black men and boys -- and one black woman -- were on their feet cheering and applauding as the film ended.
Within minutes, those same men were standing around the movie house discussing the film, debating its more controversial points and perhaps asking whether a documentary that features quotes from mainly black conservatives has any merit.
"You see what happens after this film?" Janks Morton told me after I asked him what was the typical reaction to his new film, What Black Men Think. "Black men talking to each other, challenging each other."
So what, exactly, is Morton's documentary about?
The wisecracker in me wants to respond "about 90 minutes long." But What Black Men Think is about so much, much more than that. What Morton did was get commentary from ordinary black folks and then go after black pundits we don't hear from too often, indeed, the very ones typical black leaders -- think liberal Democrats here -- claim neither represent black Americans nor have the interest of black Americans at heart.
Author Shelby Steele appears in the film, as does former Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele, who's no relation to Shelby. Actor and syndicated columnist Joseph C. Phillips gives commentary, as do authors John McWhorter and Earl Ofari Hutchison. Columnist and radio talk-show host Armstrong Williams appears, as do noted black conservatives Mychal Massie of Project 21 and Jesse Lee Peterson.
Commentators not as conservative who appear in Morton's film are famed psychiatrist Alvin Poussaint of Harvard University and Juan Williams, author and contributor to National Public Radio. And Hutchison is hardly a black conservative: He's taken up the cause of gay rights and rights for immigrants, legal and illegal. Hutchison's hard to pigeonhole with one political viewpoint, which is what makes him a joy to both listen to and read.
Koli Tengella, a Baltimore teacher and actor, asked Morton during a question-and-answer session if the preponderance of black conservative voices would make his film less credible with some black viewers.
"Throughout our history," Morton answered, "we have always had two voices. Sometimes during the fray, we miss their [black conservatives'] voices. We focus on the phrases `Uncle Tom,' `sellout.' But what is their ultimate message? The advancement of a people."
