Prince George's County Is 'The New Black Wall Street'
Filmmaker Jimmy Jenkins Says Basketball County Documentary Helps to Shed Positive Light On A Special Place As It Taught Him To Be A Better Artist
By Raoul Dennis
Click the audio bar above to hear the full interview with Jenkins. He discusses Kevin Durant, his own championship level basketball days, work ethic, his favorites in the documentary and more about Prince George’s.
This week, Prince George’s County-raised Filmmaker Jimmy Jenkins will see part of his dream come true.
The documentary, “Basketball County: In The Water,” airs May 15 at 9 p.m. on SHOWTIME and is one of the many projects the young artist has produced, including Sinners Wanted, which aired on TV One in April (click here to see “Keepers Of The Faith”). The film documents the history of professional basketball talent coming from the county over the years up to and including today’s NBA star, Kevin Durant, who rose to MVP in 2014.
In an interview with Prince George’s Suite Magazine & Media, Jenkins discussed the film, basketball and growing up in Prince George’s County.
At 29, many often get the impression that Jenkins fast-tracked his career. But he says that he’s been on a decade-long journey to get to this point.
“Big Sean said it best but I like to say it, too: It took me 10 years to become an overnight success,” Jenkins says. “I have been doing this since [age] 19. They think I just popped up but for me, it’s like ‘it’s about time!’”
When asked what he wanted viewers to learn from the film, he says it’s about hope and overcoming problems.
“I hope they get a story of community and how coming together you can do anything. You can overcome anything; you can do anything you want if you really believe. Communities are powerful. Friendships are powerful and relationships are powerful--that can be something that can impact a lot of people. I hope that people get that from this.”
Jenkins talked about the many things he learned working on the project with Durant and so many other talented professionals in telling the story of many talented professionals – dating back to the likes of Len Bias.
When asked what he wanted the world to know about Prince George’s, Jenkins didn’t hesitate to recall the wealthy African American area of Tulsa, OK some 100 years ago known as Black Wall Street.
“It’s the new Black Wall Street,” he says. “Same thing in 1921, it was black Wall Street in Oklahoma. It was the place where every African American wanted to be so I call [Prince George’s] the new black Wall Street. It’s the place where you have the most affluent African Americans really going after their dreams.”
Click the audio bar above to hear the full interview.
