TV Premiere on FOX50 Wednesday, June 19, 7:30pm
Capitol Broadcasting Company, in partnership with Black Country Productions announces Black Country, an original documentary from North Carolina filmmaker Keyetta Mangum. The program airs Wednesday, June 19 at 7:30pm on FOX50.
The documentary introduces viewers to a Black America they haven’t seen on TV. An African-American culture dedicated to a country lifestyle; including horses, trail rides, bush track racing and raising younger generations to value the connection between nature, hard work and each other.
Keyetta Mangum
Black Country is directed and produced by first-time filmmaker Keyetta Mangum. She began the project three years ago with the idea of introducing the world to the culture she knew first hand. “I was born and raised Black Country. The people you meet in this program are family members and close friends.” She says, “People might be surprised to know this culture is thriving in North Carolina and throughout the southeast. Black Country is more than just the title of this documentary. It’s a state-of-mind–a commitment to hard work, nature, family and faith. I am Black Country, and I’m proud to share my upbringing.”
CBC’s partnership with Black Country Productions is part of its mission to develop longform original programming for local and national distribution. “The story of Black Country is one that needs to be told. It’s a vibrant part of our community that is invisible to most people, and it’s not just in North Carolina,” says Shelly Leslie, who heads Capitol’s original programming development unit and served as Executive Producer of Black Country. “We’ve had people all over the country responding to our social promotion excited we’re bringing this Black America into the light. We’re also proud to provide a platform for diverse voices. As a black female director, Keyetta is a rarity in the world of documentaries.”
Black Country airs Wednesday, June 19 at 7:30pm on FOX50 (WRAZ). Additional digital content will be available only on the WRAL streaming app for Roku, Amazon Fire TV, AppleTV and Android TV. To stream WRAL free on your TV or connected device, see instructions here.