Stanley Earl Nelson Jr. (born June 7, 1951) is an American director and producer of documentary films known for examining the history and experiences of African Americans.
Among his notable films are Freedom Riders (2011), Jonestown: The Life & Death of People’s Temple (2006), The Murder of Emmett Till (2003), A Place of Our Own (2004), Sweet Honey in the Rock: Raise Your Voice (2005), Wounded Knee (2009).
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Nelson was born in New York City, son of Dr. Ralph Nelson and A’lelia Ransom Nelson., and brother to Lynn, Jill and Ralph. His sister Jill Nelson is a prominent African American journalist and novelist. Nelson attended New Lincoln School, a private Manhattan school from kindergarten through high school. He graduated from the Leonard Davis Film School at the City University of New York with a Bachelor in Fine Arts degree in 1976.
After graduation, Nelson earned an apprenticeship with the documentary filmmaker William Greaves.
In 1989, Nelson wrote and produced his debut film, entitled Two Dollars and a Dream: The Story of Madam C.J. Walker. The film was named Best Production of the Decade by the Black Filmmaker Foundation, and won the CINE Golden Eagle Award.
Nelson soon found a job at PBS, working as a television producer for the TV series Listening to America with Bill Moyers. His next film releases included the 1999 Emmy Award-nominated The Black Press: Soldiers Without Swords (1999), and award winner at the 2000 Black International Cinema Festival Marcus Garvey: Look for Me in the Whirlwind (2000). Nelson has made several productions for the Smithsonian Institution, including a tribute to African American artists, entitled Free Within Ourselves, and Climbing Jacob’s Ladder.
Nelson received fellowships at American Film Institute, the New York Foundation for the Arts, and Columbia University. He also was the recipient of a 2002 MacArthur Fellows Program Fellowship. He was on the selection panel for three years for the Fulbright fellowship in film. In 2003, he was honored the Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Directing for Non-Fiction Programming for: "The American Experience" (1988)(PBS), For episode "The Murder Of Emmett Till".[1]; Sundance Film Festival Special Jury Prize; the George Forster Peabody award. In 2004, he received an honor by winning the Educational Video Center's Excellence in Community Service Award. On May 4, 2011, Stanley Nelson and Freedom Riders were featured by Oprah in a special program celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Freedom Riders.[2]
Currently Stanley Nelson is co-founder and Executive Director of Firelight Media, a non-profit which provides technical education and professional support to emerging documentarians; and is co-founder of 'Firelight Films', the for-profit documentary production company.
History Makers: Stanley Nelson Biography. (2006). Retrieved March 8, 2007 from http://www.thehistorymakers.com/biography/biography.asp?bioindex=1332&category=EntertainmentMakers&occupation=Filmmaker&name=Stanley%20Nelson.
Meet CCNY Alumnus Stanley Nelson. (2007). Retrieved March 8, 2007 from http://www1.ccny.cuny.edu/prospective/admissions/profiles/Stanley-Nelson.cfm.
Stanley Nelson. (2004). Retrieved March 8, 2007 from http://www.pbs.org/blackpress/film/nelsonbio.html.
http://firelightmedia.tv/ - Stanley Nelson’s production company
Stanley Nelson at Internet Movie Database: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0625747/
http://movies.nytimes.com/person/267433/Stanley-Nelson
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/15/arts/television/for-stanley-nelson-the-prize-is-documentary-filmmaking.html
http://www.democracynow.org/2011/5/4/50th_anniversary_of_the_first_freedom
http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/Backstage-with-Director-Stanley-Nelson-Video
http://www.indiewire.com/article/sundance_10_freedom_riders_stanley_nelson_sheds_light_on_civil_rights_group/
http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/freedom-riders-celebrates-civil-rights-heroes-13573993
http://www.charlierose.com/view/interview/1373
Yahoo Movies: Stanley Nelson Biography. (2006). Retrieved March 7, 2007 from http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1804456799/bio.