Telling The Story Of The Apollo Theater | Essence

The Apollo Theater is an iconic, legendary fixture in New York City. Its hallowed halls were where many great Black artists, such as Ella Fitzgerald and Stevie Wonder, launched their careers.

And yet, much to Oscar and Emmy-winning Director Roger Ross Williams’ amazement, despite the 85 years of history, knowledge, and power embedded in those walls, there has never been a definitive documentary on the renowned theater.

“For me, the Apollo personifies what it means to be Black in America. It’s the center, the sort of nucleus of Black culture, and Black music, and Black art and 85 years of history,” Williams explained to ESSENCE in a phone interview.