The Blackboard documentary film was produced and directed by attorney/indie filmmaker Marquis Bradshaw. The film aims to challenge what it means to be Black in America by examining the issue of acceptance within the Black community through the lens of skateboarding culture.

“I wanted to explore issues of acceptance within the Black community through the lens of skateboarding, while addressing the notion that African Americans have, in large part, allowed celebrities to set the precedent of what is acceptable behavior within the Black community,” says Bradshaw.

The Blackboard stars prominent African-American professional skaters Jabari Pendleton, Karl Watson and Ron Allen (one of the first Black pro skaters, and one of the first ever to receive major corporate sponsorship). As it relates to pop culture, skateboarding among African-Americans has only in recent years become socially acceptable, popularized by the likes of Lupe Fiasco and Pharrell Williams.