Olympic Pride - American Prejudice: An Atlanta filmmaker's story

ATLANTA — Award-winning filmmaker Deborah Draper Riley reveals how she discovered the untold stories of 18 African-American athletes that competed in the 1936 Olympics in Germany.

On Oct. 2, Channel 2’s Jovita Moore interviews the cinematic artist.

“Olympic Pride - American Prejudice” explores the experiences of 18 African-American Olympians who defied Jim Crow and Adolf Hitler to win hearts and medals at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin. The film follows 16 men and two women before, during and after their heroic turn at the Summer Olympic Games in Berlin.

They represented a country that considered them second-class citizens and competed in a country that rolled out the red carpet in spite of an undercurrent of Aryan superiority and anti-Semitism.

The local filmmaker spent four years bringing this story to the big screen. She reveals to Moore what it took behind scenes to bring it all together. The program shows how the film attracted actor-director Blair Underwood to narrate the film. %

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Viewers will meet the local composer behind the music and score. The program will contain rarely seen footage of the 1936 Olympics and will highlight the impact the documentary had in the film festival circuit.

“‘Olympic Pride – American Prejudice’ is a part of Channel 2’s commitment and support of diversity and local artists", said WSB-TV VP & General Manager Tim McVay. “We believe the important stories of these forgotten champions needs to be told and are proud to increase awareness of this important film.”

Join Jovita Moore for Olympic Pride, American Prejudice: An Atlanta Filmmaker's Story, Sunday at 7 p.m on Channel 2.

Cox Media Group