From Susan Wadley’s viewpoint, the work of Zora Neale Hurston — one of African-American literature’s most distinguished contributors — was heavily ignored.

‘Her book, ‘Mules and Men,’ is a superb piece of anthropological literature, and for 30 years no one ever read it. She died in poverty,’ said Wadley, an anthropology professor at Syracuse University.

Wadley will participate in a discussion Friday about ‘Jump at the Sun,’ a feature-length documentary film about Hurston, author of the 1937 novel ‘Their Eyes Were Watching God.’ The film, written and produced by award-winning producer Kristy Andersen, will be screened Friday in Watson Theater at 4:30 p.m.

There will be a discussion before the film screening with Andersen and SU professors who teach Hurston’s works. The film will be followed by a Q-and-A session with Andersen at 6:30 p.m., as well as a reception.

Before Andersen created the film, it was an ‘uphill battle for funding’ because no one seemed to know who Hurston was, Andersen said on her website.

This is still the case for many people who are not familiar with African-American literature, said Wadley, the SU anthropology professor.

The film screening is organized by the Office of Multicultural Affairs in collaboration with the Slutzker Center for International Services, as well as a number of other departments across campus, including Partnership for Better Education, Light Work, the Renée Crown University Honors Program and the Department of Anthropology.

Andersen will be coming to SU from Cornell University, where she will speak on her film Thursday. Patricia Burak, director of the Slutzker center, said she hopes more students will attend Friday’s film screening, which will show that SU students are interested in cross-cultural accomplishments, especially in light of Black History Month.

Andersen has produced documentary films such as ‘Shifting Sands’ and the Emmy Award-winning ‘Sea Turtles’ Last Dance,’ Burak said. Andersen spent 18 years and used her personal funds to create and produce ‘Jump at the Sun,’ Burak said.

Burak said she hopes Andersen’s film will allow students to draw from Hurston’s experiences as an African-American woman in the early half of the 20th century. Hurston broke many glass ceilings presented for African-Americans and women in her time, Burak said.

‘It’s an inspiration for women and for anyone who suffers a barrier because of their ethnicity, gender, religion or socioeconomic status,’ she said.

Despite the challenges faced by African-American women during her time, Hurston managed to get an education at Howard University and Columbia University, where she received a Ph.D. in anthropology. Hurston traveled for five years doing a film documentary project — an ethnological study of black folk music — visiting small towns in the South, where she documented their histories. Some of this documentary is used in Andersen’s film as well.

The film includes interviews with Maya Angelou and Alice Walker, both renowned writers of African-American literature, and a re-enacted radio interview with Hurston using the original dialogue from 1943.

Burak said many of the challenges Hurston faced are still prevalent today. She cited the crisis in Egypt as a prime example of barriers imposed by political regimes.

Said Burak: ‘I think everyone should be interested in how an individual, by the strength of their will and their belief in themselves, can accomplish what they’re able to accomplish.’

atanying@syr.edu

Published on February 9, 2011 at 12:00 pm