"Michael doesn't like to lose tiddlywinks!" Lee recounted to Simmons. So what was the director’s funding approach to the NBA star? Simple. He not only asked Jordan to contribute to his film, but he made sure to tell Jordan exactly how much Magic Johnson gave. "Johnson gave how much?" Lee remember Jordan yelling. Once he heard the amount his archrival contributed the star made sure to top it. Lee, and his film, was back in business. Thanks to the generosity – and the competitiveness - of Jordan and others, Lee was able to make the film the way he wanted.

Watched this weekend. Excellent.

Stories are a gateway to radical empathy and the greatest ones are catalysts for action. If you are seeking ways to learn about the Civil Rights Movement, lynchings, segregation, Jim Crow, and all the ways in which those have an impact on us today, here are a handful of powerful, essential, masterful films and shows that center Black lives, stories, creators, and / or performers