According to reports, Spike Lee is set to create a documentary that chronicles the University of Missouri protests, which led to the resignation of university president Tim Wolfe last November. The film will be a part of a series Lee does for ESPN called “Spike’s Lee Lil Joints.”
Over the weekend, the Chi Raq director was a surprise guest at the True/False Film Festival in Columbia, MO where he saw the 30 minute short Concerned Student 1950 about the protests led by Mizzou undergraduates. The film covers major moments which made its way to mainstream news, but also the fear African-American students felt while on campus.
The protest were sparked by graduate student Jonathan Butler’s hunger strike who demanded for Wolfe’s resignation following several racial events on campus and the administration’s neglect to address the concerns of those effected. As Butler’s weight and health began to deteriorate and national news coverage grew, members of the Mizzou football team also participated adding more fuel to the fire. Wolfe later resigned on November 9.
Per reports, Lee is interested in using some footage from the film for the doc which will be released digitally May 31st.