Kiri Davis
Encyclopedia
Kiri Laurelle Davis is an African-American filmmaker based in New York City
. Her first documentary, done while enrolled at Reel Works Teen Filmmaking, A Girl Like Me
(2005) has received significant news coverage.
Kiri Davis' mother, an education consultant, raised her daughter to be proud of her race and color. After completing her high school education two years after making her award-winning documentary, Davis was due to matriculate at Howard University
, a historically black university
in Washington DC for the fall 2007 semester.
When just 16 and a student at the Urban Academy
, Davis became interested in Brown v. Board of Education
, and also Kenneth and Mamie Clark
's groundbreaking study of color preferences
among young black children. She repeated the Clark study and asked children to choose between one of two dolls: a light- and a dark-skinned doll. Fifteen out of the twenty-one children preferred the lighter doll when asked to choose "the nice doll."
The documentary that resulted includes selections from her repeat study and interviews with friends who talk about the importance of color, hair quality, and facial features for young black woman today in the United States.
, directed by M.K. Asante, Jr. and narrated by Maya Angelou
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Her first documentary, done while enrolled at Reel Works Teen Filmmaking, A Girl Like Me
A Girl Like Me (documentary)
A Girl like Me is a 2005 award-winning documentary by Kiri Davis. The seven-minute documentary examines such things as the importance of color, hair and facial features for young African American women. It won the Diversity Award at the 6th Annual Media That Matters film festival in New York City,...
(2005) has received significant news coverage.
Kiri Davis' mother, an education consultant, raised her daughter to be proud of her race and color. After completing her high school education two years after making her award-winning documentary, Davis was due to matriculate at Howard University
Howard University
Howard University is a federally chartered, non-profit, private, coeducational, nonsectarian, historically black university located in Washington, D.C., United States...
, a historically black university
Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Historically black colleges and universities are institutions of higher education in the United States that were established before 1964 with the intention of serving the black community....
in Washington DC for the fall 2007 semester.
When just 16 and a student at the Urban Academy
Urban Academy Laboratory High School
The Urban Academy Laboratory High School is a small, progressive, alternative high school located on the Upper East Side of New York City.-History:...
, Davis became interested in Brown v. Board of Education
Brown v. Board of Education
Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, 347 U.S. 483 , was a landmark decision of the United States Supreme Court that declared state laws establishing separate public schools for black and white students unconstitutional. The decision overturned the Plessy v. Ferguson decision of 1896 which...
, and also Kenneth and Mamie Clark
Kenneth and Mamie Clark
Kenneth Bancroft Clark and Mamie Phipps Clark were African-American psychologists who as a married team conducted important research among children and were active in the Civil Rights Movement...
's groundbreaking study of color preferences
Color preferences
In the psychology of color, color preferences are the tendency for an individual or a group to prefer some colors over others, including a favorite color.-Introduction:...
among young black children. She repeated the Clark study and asked children to choose between one of two dolls: a light- and a dark-skinned doll. Fifteen out of the twenty-one children preferred the lighter doll when asked to choose "the nice doll."
The documentary that resulted includes selections from her repeat study and interviews with friends who talk about the importance of color, hair quality, and facial features for young black woman today in the United States.
Screenings
- Tribeca Film FestivalTribeca Film FestivalThe Tribeca Film Festival is a film festival founded in 2002 by Jane Rosenthal, Robert De Niro and Craig Hatkoff in a response to the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and the consequent loss of vitality in the TriBeCa neighborhood in Lower Manhattan.The mission of the festival...
- The 6th Annual Media That Matters.
- SilverdocsSilverdocsAFI-Discovery Channel Silverdocs Documentary Festival is an American international film festival created by the American Film Institute and Discovery Channel. It is held every year in Silver Spring, Maryland near Washington, D.C.. Started in 2003, the festival is held for eight days in June at...
: AFI/Discovery Channel Documentary Festival - HBO
Film Appearances
She discusses her film "A Girl Like Me" in the 2008 film The Black CandleThe Black Candle
The Black Candle is a 2008 documentary film about Kwanzaa directed by M. K. Asante and narrated by Maya Angelou.-Synopsis:The Black Candle uses Kwanzaa as a vehicle to explore and celebrate the African-American experience....
, directed by M.K. Asante, Jr. and narrated by Maya Angelou
Maya Angelou
Maya Angelou is an American author and poet who has been called "America's most visible black female autobiographer" by scholar Joanne M. Braxton. She is best known for her series of six autobiographical volumes, which focus on her childhood and early adult experiences. The first and most highly...
External links
- Kiri Davis' Official Website
- Kiri Davis Biography at Media That Matters
- New 'Doll Test' Produces Ugly Results, August 16, 2006 Baltimore Times.
- African-American Images: The New Doll Test, October 2, 2006 on Talk of the Nation, NPRNPRNPR, formerly National Public Radio, is a privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to a network of 900 public radio stations in the United States. NPR was created in 1970, following congressional passage of the Public Broadcasting...
.
- Video:
- A Girl Like Me, Entire documentary on NAACP website with introductory text. Accessed August 27, 2007.
- A Girl Like Me: Background a discussion of making the documentary
- "A Girl Like Me" segment, October 11, 2006 on Good Morning America, ABCAmerican Broadcasting CompanyThe American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
.