Louis Massiah is a Philadelphia-based filmmaker dedicated to documenting and preserving the rich history and culture of Philadelphia’s communities of color, writes Racquel Williams for KYW Newsradio.

Currently, he is working on a project that displays an oral history on strategies for African American and Puerto Rican political empowerment in Philadelphia from the end of World War II until today. 

Massiah is the founder of Scribe Video Center, where people can explore the use of video as both an artistic medium and a tool for social change. 

His filmmaking began when he was in college, making his first film in 1975 while attending a documentary film program at MIT.

“Documentary to me has always been this really vital form of communication,” said Massiah. 

Massiah has also started the Documentary History Project for Youth for middle and high school students in Philadelphia, and the Precious Places Community History Project, an oral history program.

“I think that history really provides a foundation for us to build on. And it’s important to have visions for what we want this world to look like, what we want this country to look like, what we want our communities to look like,” said Massiah. 

He often stresses the importance of both the visual and audio of such storytelling. 

Read more about Louis Massiah and his filmmaking ordeals in KYW Newsradio. 

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