Sofiya Ballin Tells Black Love Stories
On a Saturday evening in late February, The African American Museum in Philadelphia (AAMP) debuted a virtual screening of Black History Untold: Love, a historical documentary project created and directed by Sofiya Ballin. The film celebrates the power of love while highlighting parallels amongst past and present generations in which Black love encompasses resilience and revolution. By showcasing the stories of diverse Black couples and individuals based in Philadelphia, Washington D.C., and New York, the documentary brings to the forefront an inclusive historical education that combats monolithic narratives prescribed to Black Americans.
The screening opened with remarks from Ballin, whom AAMP partnered with to debut the film. It was moderated by Syreeta A. Martin, journalist and host of “Save Space” on WURD Radio.
Ballin is an award-winning journalist, writer, filmmaker, curator, and producer based in Philadelphia. The documentary is the latest installment of Black History Untold, an award-winning identity series that aims to uplift Black people across the African diaspora by using personal interviews to share a comprehensive history education. “In a simpler way,” Ballin said during a Zoom interview from her home in Philadelphia, “we just tell untold Black histories via dope Black people from all walks of life.”
Ballin has been developing the series for about five years. It was first under the ownership of a news corporation and then Ballin went independent. In 2017 Black History Untold won the National Association of Black Journalists award for Best Feature: Series.
In response to the documentary, Martin says it made her feel “everything.” “There are some productions that tell stories about love and then the few that actually tell a love story,” says Martin. “Sofiya and her team told love stories in Untold: Love. It reaffirmed that love truly is a universal language.”
The documentary’s mission and creative storytelling simultaneously communicate shared experiences and diverse depictions of love that are often overlooked by the public and underrepresented in the media. It calls attention to nuances, making space for joy, hope, and learning via an exploration of rich and omnipresent histories.
Ballin argues that Black history in America and, similarly across the globe, goes intentionally untold, especially in schooling. For Ballin, rather than in the classroom, her historical education came from the mouths of Black people who shared stories of their experiences and how they were impacted or changed by them. Their emotional connections to those stories helped shape Ballin’s understanding of her community and herself. “I wouldn’t say that I am a huge history buff but so many of the stories growing up that stayed with me were the ones that I learned through other people,” Ballin says.
This keen observation has become the foundation of the Black History Untold series. Without a proper, vibrant knowledge of histories, Ballin says, people’s perceptions of self are greatly impacted. Consequences of a limited education rise to the surface in how present day challenges are examined and understood in the world.
She compares the work that BHU produces to that of a griot, an ancient master of oral West African traditions, histories, languages, etc. “The first mission is to acknowledge that we are not learning these things in school and this is a way to remedy that and also kind of archive and keep that oral tradition in these stories going,” explains Ballin. “The second is just in terms of journalism and media, you know, just showcasing the diversity amongst us.”
In her experience working for traditional newsrooms Ballin got a sense of how Black people were being covered. She noticed that outlets only depicted one kind of Black person and she rejects that sentiment through sharing varied accounts of Black love. Among Ballin’s own circle of friends and family, the examples of diverse Black people are apparent and abundant. She purposefully sought to explore those nuances as well as highlight what makes people similar.
The very essence and tone of the documentary reside here. Regardless of age, sexual orientation, or background, the feeling of love that you get from a family gathering, a warm embrace or the aroma of a special meal being prepared, are universal.
Interviews with twelve couples and two individuals are captured, with each participant speaking to a level of self-awareness and self-love, even within a partnership. Recounts of first meetings, common interests, admirable characteristics, shared responsibilities and an unspoken mutual understanding of the struggle are all shared by the couples. In these moments love is recognized for its ability to cultivate a foundation for understanding, safety and an opportunity to come together. “Black love is just love and it’s also more,” Ballin emphasizes.
The interviews can be viewed via Black History Untold’s YouTube channel. Watch the trailer below👇🏽
