Houghton Library welcomes Oscar- and Emmy-nominated director and producer Reginald Hudlin, who will give the Fall 2026 George Parker Winship Lecture on Thursday, October 22, 2026 on “Creativity and Pop Culture: Black Panther, House Party, and the Joy of Collecting.” Click Here for Details!
Maker of movies, television, comic books and live concerts, Hudlin recently donated his massive comic book collection to Houghton Library. He also donated to the Harvard Film Archive copies of his student films, including a short called House Party, which he went on to expand into the celebrated eponymous feature film. In this talk, he will discuss how pop culture in many mediums shaped his own creative sensibility and how it works both as a mirror and tool to impact society. He will also talk about the joy of giving and the importance of maintaining the historical record.
Reginald Hudlin is one of the most influential filmmakers of his generation. Hudlin’s first feature film was House Party, which was recently inducted into the National Film Registry. A special Criterion edition of the film will debut in 2026.
Hudlin directed the movies Boomerang and Candy Cane Lane with Eddie Murphy, and Marshall with Chadwick Boseman. Hudlin produced the Oscar-Winning Django Unchained and the animated hit film Bebe’s Kids.
He also directed the award-winning documentaries The Black Godfather for Netflix; Sidney and Number One On The Call Sheet for Apple TV; the Phat Tuesday docuseries for Amazon; the Honoring Our Kings Father’s Day special with Oprah Winfrey for OWN; and The Kamala Harris Story for the Democratic National Convention.
Hudlin is the second African American to produce the Oscars® (2016) and the first African American to produce the Emmys® (2020, 2021, 2022). This is his 14th year as producer of the NAACP Image Awards.
In television, Hudlin has directed and produced many hours of television, from The Boondocks to The Office, Murder In The First to The Bernie Mac Show, Showtime At The Apollo and The Last OG. He recently directed Tracy Morgan’s new show for producer Tina Fey.
Hudlin also wrote and produced the Black Panther animated series based on his award-winning run as writer on the comic book. He also wrote an award-winning arc on Spider-Man and is an owner of Milestone Media, which features characters like Static Shock, Hudlin is supervising an adaption of Static Shock into a feature film. Hudlin is currently finishing the graphic novel adaptation of the award winning novel Middle Passage from Abrams.
Hudlin has been honored by numerous esteemed organizations including the NAACP, The American Civil Liberties Union, The United Negro College Fund, The Sundance Film Festival, The American Film Institute, The San Diego Comic-Con, The African American Film Critics Association, The Critics’ Choice Awards, and many more venerable organizations.
Reception
Afterwards, join us for the opening reception from 6:30–7:30 PM in the Edison and Newman Room. Beverages and hors d’oeuvres will be provided. Registration is encouraged but not required.
