On Saturday, August 30, 2025 ImageNation and Black Public Media will present an outdoor screening of Nicole London’s The Disappearance of Miss Scott at the Richard Rogers AmOn Saturday, August 30, 2025 ImageNation and Black Public Media will present an outdoor screening of Nicole London’s The Disappearance of Miss Scott at the Richard Rogers Amphitheater in Marcus Garvey Park. phitheater in Marcus Garvey Park. Hazel Scott was a jazz piano prodigy who was born in Trinidad and raised in Harlem. History usually relegates her to being the second wife of famous Congressman Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Scott was the second Black person to have her own television show in 1950 which was 11 years after Ethel Waters and six years before Nat King Cole debuted their shows. She was a musical child prodigy who received scholarships to study at the Juilliard School when she was eight years old. As an entertainer she did not stop at music, and she appeared in five films, always as herself, always refusing roles that she found demeaning. Her politics became an issue during her career because of her strong support of civil rights. She was accused of being a communist and she eventually had to appear before the House Un-American Activities Committee and the fallout caused her to move to France until the controversy died down. London used archived interviews, performance footage, and commentary from Alicia Keys, Mickey Guyton, Camille Thurman, Amanda Seales, Tracie Thomas, and Jason Moran to tell Scott’s story. Sheryl Lee Ralph takes on the voice of Scott in the documentary. London will be there for the event and DJ SheJay P/Shift will perform a DJ set.
“Partnering with Black Public Media for this year’s ImageNation OUTDOORS is especially meaningful as we bring Hazel Scott—an icon of artistry and activism—back to Harlem, where her legacy was born,” said Gregory Gates, executive producer of ImageNation. “This screening, in the heart of her own community, is our way of honoring her brilliance and ensuring her story is remembered where it began.”
We’re proud to again collaborate with ImageNation to present The Disappearance of Miss Scott, a film that embodies the spirit of Black resilience, creativity, and truth-telling,” said Leslie Fields-Cruz, executive director of BPM. “These kinds of stories are essential—they challenge erasure and invite audiences to rediscover the power of our cultural pioneers.”
The screening will be held at the Richard Rodgers Amphitheater in Marcus Garvey Park, 18 Mount Morris Park West (at 122nd Street). In case of rain, the event will be held at Mount Morris Ascension Presbyterian Church, 15 Mt Morris Park W (at W. 122nd Street), New York, NY 10027.
