Directors Set Out To "Save Black Males Before They Self-Destruct"

After screening the 86-minute documentary to thousands in New York and California for the better part of 2009, last summer, film makers Eric K. McKay and Vanz Chapman decided to offer free copies of the DVD to the public.

"Since then, it's been an incredible experience," says Chapman. "We've been able to share For Our Sons in at least 44 States in the USA and even abroad, opposed to just the two places where we live - Eric in New York and me in California. And the response we've received has been staggering."

For Our Sons is a timeless cinematic helping hand for the Black sons about to enter society and for those Black men who are looking for their purpose in life, from the veteran Black sons who have been there and triumphed over society's ills and in some cases still struggle on these battlefields of poverty and crime.

Mr. Chapman went on to say, "We wanted to show an honest spectrum of Black men that many of our young people rarely get to see. (Some) Black men they can relate to, others they can aspire to be like, the kind of Black men the media usually ignores."

McKay conveyed his sentiments as such: "20 years ago, people were talking about the extinction of Black males, 20 years later as things have gotten worse and as prisons and cemeteries continue to swell with Black men, we don't seem to talk about it as much. We'd rather talk about Black women dating white men as a solution or blame each other for our problems. There's a reason why Essence Magazine is asking President Obama about Black boys and why Ben Jealous from the NAACP has talked about this; the shrinking pool of viable Black men as time goes on. You have Michael Baisden doing a 1 Million Mentors Campaign for our young people and Steve Harvey spearheading a mentorship program as well. These things aren't happening because things are good in the hood. Our community is in serious trouble and it's real. For Our Sons is an inspirational helping hand."

The film employs insightful interviews, contemporary images and biographical life lessons of Black men to create a moving and engaging narrative of what it was to go from Black boyhood to Black manhood in America.

The DVD, For Our Sons is available FREE of charge ($5.95 S&H) at:
www.4oursons.com or www.foroursons.com