Originally posted on Comcast.com
At Comcast NBCUniversal, we believe all employees and customers should feel valued and respected for who they are. We have a long-established commitment to Diversity & Inclusion and have made hiring a diverse workforce a core part of our values and business. We also recognize that our customers have diverse backgrounds and interests, too, which is why we provide year-round access to a wide variety of programming. Special moments, like Black History Month, give us an exciting opportunity to go above and beyond to celebrate the Black community’s remarkable contributions to American culture.
Here are a number of initiatives that Comcast NBCUniversal is doing to celebrate Black History Month this year:
Xfinity TV’s ‘Black Film & TV’ Collection:
Xfinity TV’s ‘Black Film & TV’ collection is our easy-to-browse collection that pulls together all of the best Black film, TV, and web content we have to offer into a single, unified experience. During Black History Month, it’s full of award-winning movies, documentaries, biopics, and television series including: Creed, Creed II, Race, 42, Venus and Serena, and The Jackie Robinson Story, among many others. Select content will also be available on Xfinity Stream and Xfinity Flex. In addition, some titles will be in 4K.
Free Preview Week on X1:
For the second year in a row, we’re excited to offer a free week of access to content from premium networks and subscription video-on-demand services, including African American owned content. The Free Preview runs from Feb. 10th – 16th and will include content from more than a dozen programmers. It will include popular TV shows, movies, and documentaries like: State of the Culture, Pride and Prejudice Atlanta, Hitsville: The Making of Motown, Butter & Brown, Good Hair, and A Black Lady Sketch Show.
The ‘Black Film & TV’ collection offers ‘Black History Always On,’ which features documentaries, series, and specials that honor and commemorate Black history. Launched in 2016, it also includes access to the ‘Voices of the Civil Rights Movement’ series, which will be expanded again this year with 10 new interviews with civil rights leaders and community activists. Other titles that are featured within the ‘Black History Always On’ collection include: Just Mercy, Hidden Figures, Boss: The Black Experience in Business, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, and Homecoming: A Film By Beyoncé.
Just say, “Black Film and TV” or, “Black History Month” into your Xfinity Voice Remote to get started, or click here to learn more.
NBCUniversal:
This month, reporters from NBC News, NBCBLK.com, which offers the latest news articles, photos and videos covering stories, issues, and opinions of the Black community, MSNBC, and Today will honor Black History Month by publishing and producing stories about people who have made or are making a difference. Some of these changemakers include:
- Doris Miller: Miller, an African American sailor in the United States Navy, manned anti-aircraft guns during the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, for which he had no training. He tended to the wounded, saved lives, and was hailed a hero. To honor Miller, the U.S. Navy will name a future aircraft carrier, USS Doris Miller that will enter service in 2030.
- (Feb. 6th) Tom Joyner: Considered the dean of Black radio, Tom Joyner retired in December 2019 after 50 years on the air and after raising $65 million for historically Black colleges. He is one of Black America’s most influential activists on voting rights, race, policing and more.
- (Feb. 10th) Bishop T.D. Jakes: Bishop T.D. Jakes, pastor of Potter’s House in Dallas, wants to bring diversity to the science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics (STEAM) workforce.
- (Feb. 21st) Pernessa C. Seele: The founder and CEO of Balm in Gilead, Inc., Pernessa Seele runs a nonprofit that strengthens the ability for faith institutions in the United States and Africa to promote health education, disease management, and more.
In addition, Focus Features and Regal have partnered to offer free screenings of Harriet in 50 theatres around the country on Tuesday, February 4th, and Tuesday, February 11th. The film depicts the life of one of history’s most courageous African American heroes, Harriet Tubman, bringing her story to the big screen for the very first time. For her portrayal, Cynthia Erivo was recently nominated for two Academy Awards®, for Best Actress and Best Original Song for “Stand Up,” which she co-wrote with Joshuah Brian Campbell. Free tickets can be ordered through Gofobo here. A dress Erivo wore in the film will also be put on display in an exhibit celebrating Black History Month at the Motion Picture Association headquarters, in Washington, D.C. along with reproductions of timecards from Noble Johnson. He was the first African American to have a contract with a major motion picture studio.
Smithsonian Channel’s Black in Space: Breaking the Color Barrier:
For the sixth consecutive year, Comcast is partnering with Smithsonian Channel to offer special screenings of their new documentary Black in Space: Breaking the Color Barrier. It honors the unsung heroes who raced to bring diversity to the skies, and shines a light on this fascinating, untold story. Screenings will take place in nearly a dozen cities, with the first at the Museum of Natural Science in Houston, TX. The last one will be at the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. The documentary will then premiere on Smithsonian Channel on Monday, Feb. 24th at 8/7c. The next day, it will be available On Demand.
Community Impact and Employee Volunteerism:
All month long, hundreds of our employees will participate in a range of events across the country. Many are members of our Black Employee Network, which was created to strengthen relationships among Black employees and the wider Comcast NBCUniversal community. Stay tuned for more information about their activities.
