Screening & Live Event
A Conversation with Karyn Parsons, and screening of The Bessie Coleman Story

Part of Black History Month Celebration 2019 & Changing the Picture (2018)
Friday, February 8, 2019, 7:30 p.m.
Museum of the Moving Image - Bartos Screening Room

Sponsored by Time Warner Inc.

As part of its Black History Month Celebration, the Museum presents a conversation with actress-turned-filmmaker Karyn Parsons (Fresh Prince of Bel-Air), whose production company Sweet Blackberry produces little-known inspiring stories, animated for children. Her talk will include a preview screening of Flying Free: The Bessie Coleman Story, a short animated film about the story of the first African American female aviator. View trailer


From February 16–24, the Museum will present a daily screenings of three Sweet Blackberry shorts, as part of Family Programs during Midwinter Recess. Find out more. 

Tickets: $15 ($11 seniors and students / $7 youth (ages 3–17) / free for children under 3 and Museum members at the Film Lover and Kids Premium levels and above). Order tickets online. (Members may contact [email protected] with questions regarding online reservations.)

Ticket purchase includes same-day admission to the Museum (see gallery hours). View the Museum’s ticketing policy here. For more information on membership and to join online, visit our membership page.

Karyn Parsons is best known for her role as Will Smith's ditsy cousin Hilary Banks on NBC's The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. After leaving acting behind, Karynhas gone on to found and produce Sweet Blackberry, an award-winning series of children's animated films, to share stories about unsung black heroes in history, featuring narration from stars such as Alfre Woodard, Queen Latifah, Chris Rock, and Laurence Fishburne. The films have screened on HBO and Netflix, and are enjoyed by schools and libraries across the country. Karyn's debut novel, How High The Moon, hits bookshelves in March 2019.