Byron Hurt’s late father was like the many Americans whose unhealthy diets led to a shortened lifespan.  Alarmed by what he saw as a problem among African Americans, Byron Hurt, whose last film was the award-winning Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes decided to a more intimate look eating habits within Black communities.  With Soul Food Junkies, Hurt travels from his New Jersey home to the deep South to find out more about Soul Food and its lasting effects on Black communities.  Among those featured in Soul Food Junkies, which debuted on the PBS series Independent Lens on January 14^th,  are eco-chef and food activist Bryant Terry, Sonia Sanchez, Dick Gregory, Michaela Angela Davis, and Marc Lamont Hill.

On the Spring Premiere of Left of Black Byron Hurt talks to host and Duke University Professor Mark Anthony Neal about his journey to Soul Food Junkies, the connection between healthy lifestyles and Black masculinity, the challenges faced by Black documentary filmmakers and the controversy surrounding Quentin Tarantino’s new film Django Unchained.