Producer

Producer Maséqua Myers was born on January 7, 1953 in Birmingham, Alabama to Thelma and Willie Myers. She attended Cook Elementary School in 1966 in Chicago, Illinois, and graduated from Calumet High School in 1970 in Chicago. Myers received her dual A.A. degrees in nursing and theatre in 1974 from Kennedy-King College, in Chicago.

Myers served as project developer for Urban Gateways in Chicago from 1974 to 1976, and worked at LaMont Zeno Theatre/Better Boys Foundation in Chicago from 1974 to 1979. She became the equity union deputy representative at the Goodman and Victory Gardens Theatres in Chicago and the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. from 1979 to 1980. Myers served at the Wolftrap Institute for Early Learning as part of the Arts in Phoenix and Washington, D.C. from 1983 to 1985. She also handled contract negotiations at the Independent Professional Performing Artists Institute, in Phoenix, in 1985 and was co-owner and executive producer of Mixed Media Productions, Inc., in Phoenix and Los Angeles from 1986 to 1992. Myers also served as artist in residence at the Wolftrap Arts Institute, Washington D.C. and Phoenix, Arizona from 1986 to 1992.

Myers is credited for her work as producer/co-author of the internationally distributed educational video, Faces of Racism for the National YWCA of the USA in 1990. In 1992, she established and served as chief executive officer at Maséqua Myers and Associates; and, in 2014, she became the executive director, for the historic South Side Community Art Center.

Myers produced Miss Dessa, the romantic-comedy play, which received nine 1993 NAACP Theatre Awards Los Angeles, CA. She produced the pilot and episodes of Stories From the Soul, a half hour dramatic TV series for Robert Townsend, served as director of production for the Black Family Channel in 2005. She produced the documentary, Interview with A Chicago Cop, which was featured in the Arizona Black Film Festival in 2006. She was also the film training director for the feature film, Of Boys and Men starring Angela Bassett and Robert Townsend).

Maséqua Myers-Rami and her husband Pemon Rami have two adult children Babatunde and Tacuma.

Maséqua Myers was interviewed by The HistoryMakers on June 13, 2018.

Producer Ron Bryant was born on January 6, 1952 in Youngstown, Ohio to Doris Morris and T.Y. Bryant, Jr. He graduated from South High School in Youngstown, Ohio in 1970, and earned an athletic scholarship to attend Kent State University at Salem in Salem, Ohio. In 1971, he transferred to Youngstown State University, where he majored in mass communication and received his B.A. degree in 1974.

After graduation, Bryant moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to host “The Al Knight Show” on WAMO-AM. He then worked for the television production center before moving to Boulder, Colorado, where he worked for the public radio station KGNU. In 1984, Bryant returned to Youngstown, where he worked as a disc jockey and film editor for the NBC affiliate WFMJ-TV. Bryant was featured in over 1,200 commercials as a voice-over artist. He also worked as a music reviewer and entertainment editor for the Call and Post and the Columbus Post. He also worked part-time at the jazz radio station WBBY and as the program director of WZZT. Bryant also served as the marketing and communications director for The Near East Area Commission, and assisted in the development of the Community 21 Cable Access initiative. In 2002, Bryant developed and produced the American Diversity Magazine television show, which aired on the Ohio News Network. In 2003, he became the news and community affairs director at WVKO in Cleveland. In 2006, Bryant accepted a position as the minority media coordinator and deputy communications director with the Ohio Democratic Party. In 2011, he became the director of news and community affairs for the Bounce TV affiliate in Columbus. In 2014, Bryant served as the executive director of the Intern Student Network Broadcast Project, an initiative aimed at training youth in Franklin County in the fundamentals of broadcast production.

Over the course of his career, Bryant produced a variety of health-based programming that targeted underserved populations in central Ohio, including his 2010 program For Goodness Sake. Bryant also won the Telly Award for excellence in broadcast journalism for a program he produced called Trailblazers: African-Americans Making a Difference.

Ron Bryant was interviewed by TheHistoryMakers on November 13, 2017.

Producer and television host Tanya Hart was born on January 29, 1949 in Muskegon, Michigan to Lewis Hinton and Jean Hinton. She received her B.A. degree in communication from Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan in 1971, and her M.Ed. degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1976.

Hart worked for WBZ-TV, the NBC affiliate in Boston, where she served as host and contributing producer of Coming Together an Emmy Award winning prime-time news magazine series. She was also an announcer for WBZ’s evening newscast and hosted and produced syndicated specials. After eleven years at WBZ, Hart moved to Los Angeles in 1990 and joined BET’s West Coast production operations and helped launched its first program in BET’s Burbank Studios. There, Hart served as host and senior producer of BET’s, Live From LA with Tanya Hart, where she interviewed celebrities and recorded over three hundred episodes. Also in 1990, she interviewed Winnie Mandela during the world tour with Nelson Mandela, for a U.S. television exclusive. In 1992, Hart was based at the Walt Disney Studios lot, where her company, Tanya Hart Communications, developed and produced films, television programs, syndicated radio programs, and music with Boston International Records and Hollywood Records. In 1995, Hart became an entertainment correspondent on the KACE-FM morning show in Los Angeles. She also served as a host with Roger Ebert covering the Academy Awards, and appeared as herself in the iconic All My Children. For six years, she served as a correspondent and alternate host of E! Entertainment’s The Gossip Show. From 2001 to 2005, Hart hosted the daily syndicated radio feature Hart Moments which her company also produced. In 2003, excerpts from her interview with Tupac Shakur were featured in the documentary Tupac: Resurrection. In 2005, she released her debut album Tanya Hart Sings. She has also produced several documentaries for PBS, as well an audio documentary Ray Charles: The Music Lives On. In 2006, Hart was a producer and guest disc jockey on Live in Hollywood, the weekly syndicated television show. She became host of Hollywood Live with Tanya Hart on American Urban Radio Networks (AURN). Hart has also appeared on Rolonda, Court TV, Inside Edition, Celebrity Justice, Sally Jessy Raphael, Geraldo and Forgive or Forget.

Hart has been recognized with numerous awards, including The Diversity In Media Award from the Caucus of Producers, Writers and Directors, four Emmys, eight Emmy nominations, and five medals from the International TV and Film Festival of New York. In addition, she received the Peabody and Ohio State Awards for her documentary films. In 2016, she became co-chair of The Caucus for Producers, Writers & Directors, making her the first African-American and first woman to lead the organization

Tanya Hart was interviewed by The HistoryMakers on August 16, 2017.

Producer and public relations director Ruth Campbell was born on June 30, 1939 in Benton, Mississippi to Viola Brice and Cleophas Batton. Campbell received her A.A. degree from Coahoma Junior College in Clarksdale, Mississippi in 1959, her B.S. degree in language arts from Jackson State College in Natchez, Mississippi, in 1961, and her M.A. degree from the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, Mississippi in 1970.

Campbell taught English, French, public speaking and literature as a public school teacher before she worked with the Mississippi Research and Development Center as a market analyst. She later entered broadcasting at the Mississippi Authority for Educational Television, where she served as host of the longest running minority-oriented public affairs series in the state. She served as script editor, producer, director, and became the executive producer for all public affairs programming at the network. Then, Campbell was appointed special assistant of scheduling to the Governor of Mississippi, Ray Mabus. Campbell then served for four years as associate director at the Jackson State University School of Lifelong Learning, where she also taught speech and mass communication. She then worked as manager of customer service at Trilogy Communications, Inc. and as public relations director for MetroCenter Mall. In 1999, Campbell became the public information officer for the City of Jackson’s Parks and Recreation. In 2008, Campbell became the deputy director for the Jackson’s Department of Human and Cultural Services.

Campbell has received numerous awards and honors for her contributions to her community. She has been the recipient of a Humanitarian Award from the University of Southern Mississippi, Presidential Citation for Alumni of the Year Award, a Distinguished Leadership Award from the Pearl Street AME Church, and a Founders Award from the National Black Programming Consortium, among others.

Campbell chaired the National Black Programming Consortium and also served on the advisory board for Catholic Charities, the advisory council for 21st Century Community Learning Center, and as a member of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, and Friends of Public Broadcasting, which is within the Mississippi Educational Television Network.

Ruth Campbell was interviewed by The HistoryMakers on May 24, 2017.

Cameraman and producer Robert Tutman was born on October 15, 1946 in Baltimore, Maryland.

Tutman initially worked as a still photographer until 1968, when he was hired as a cameraman for NBC’s WBAL-TV in Baltimore. In 1970, Tutman moved to CBS Network News in Chicago, Illinois, becoming the company’s first African American cameraman. For the next twenty-five years, Tutman covered national and international news stories for CBS. He also taught as an associate professor at Columbia University in 1973 through the Michelle Clark Minority Fellowship.

From 1995 to 1999, Tutman served as a senior cameraman for Chicago’s WBBM-TV, where he worked on breaking news stories, from hard news to feature pieces, documentaries, special projects and long format programs. In 1996, Tutman established his own production company, and, from 1999 to 2001 he produced fifty half-hour programs and twelve three-hour specials for the Chicago Public Schools. He went on to serve as a producer for Monument City Films in Baltimore from 2001 to 2002; and, in 2003, became a producer for WYCC-TV, a PBS station based in Chicago. Tutman later worked as director of photography for The Africa Channel and as a producer at Chicago Film Works. His film credits include The Providence Effect and Common Enemy.

Tutman’s honors include Emmy Award nominations as well as the Gold Camera Award, which he received during the 1996 Chicago Industrial Film Festival for his work on Common Enemy. He has also served as president of the Chicago chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists. He lives in Chicago, Illinois.

Robert Tutman was interviewed by The HistoryMakers on October 22, 2014.

Songwriter, producer and musician James Jason Poyser was born in Sheffield, England in 1967 to Jamaican parents Reverend Felix and Lilith Poyser. Poyser’s family moved to West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania when he was nine years old and he discovered his musical talents in the church. Poyser attended Philadelphia Public Schools and graduated from Temple University with his B.S. degree in finance.

Upon graduation, Poyser apprenticed with the songwriting/producing duo Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff. Poyser then established the Axis Music Group with his partners, Vikter Duplaix and Chauncey Childs. He became a founding member of the musical collective Soulquarians and went on to write and produce songs for various legendary and award-winning artists including Erykah Badu, Mariah Carey, John Legend, Lauryn Hill, Common, Anthony Hamilton, D'Angelo, The Roots, and Keyshia Cole. He was credited as writer/producer for multiple songs on Erykah Badu’s debut album, Baduizm; has writer, producer and musician credits on Lauryn Hill’s multiple Grammy-winning album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill; was a musician on Adele’s acclaimed album, 21; and served as executive co-producer and writer on Al Green’s Lay it Down. He was also the executive producer on Badu's highly celebrated albums, Mama's Gun and Worldwide Underground.

He is an active session musician and has contributed to the works of other artists such as Norah Jones, Eric Clapton, Joss Stone, Ziggy Marley, Macy Gray and Femi Kuti. In addition, Poyser has toured, and played live as a keyboardist with Jay-Z, The Roots, Erykah Badu, and Aretha Franklin, among others. He is a regular member of The Roots, and has joined them on stage as the houseband for NBC's Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, and subsequently The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

Poyser’s awards include a Grammy for Best R&B Song in 2003 for co-writing Erykah Badu and Common's hit “Love Of My Life.”

He resides in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

James Poyser was interviewed by The HistoryMakers on May 6, 2014.

Producer, author and lawyer Tonya Lewis Lee was born on March 30, 1966 to Lillian Glenn Lewis and George Lewis, a corporate executive at Philip Morris. Lee received her B.A. degree from Sarah Lawrence College in 1988, and her J.D. degree from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1991.

Upon graduation, Lee worked at the law firm of Nixon, Hargrave, Devans & Doyle (now Nixon Peabody LLP) in Washington, D.C., where she primarily serviced Gannett Co., Inc. on corporate and First Amendment issues. In 1992, during the Congressional Black Caucus Weekend in Washington, D.C., Lee met her future husband, Spike Lee. A year later, they were married in New York City in a private ceremony.

In 1998, Lee founded the media production company, Madstone Company, Inc., where she worked with Disney Television Animation and Nickelodeon. Lee produced the 2004 documentary, I Sit Where I Want: The Legacy of Brown v. Board of Education, which won the Beacon and Parents’ Choice awards. In 2005, she executively produced the TV miniseries, Miracle’s Boys. Then, in 2006, Lee worked with TV Land to produce the talk show, That’s What I’m Talking About, which was hosted by Wayne Brady. The following year, Lee became the spokesperson for the Office of Minority Health’s campaign, “A Healthy Baby Begins With You,” which addressed the high infant mortality rate in the United States; and she then produced a documentary about the campaign, Crisis in the Crib: Saving Our Nation’s Babies. In 2012, she co-founded the film and television production company, ToniK Productions, which produced Lee’s co-written screenplay, The Watsons Go to Birmingham.

Outspoken on the issues of women and race, Lee has had a speaking tour schedule and has appeared on national and local television and radio stations across the United States. She has written for magazines such as Avenue, Gotham, O at Home and Glamour. She has also been featured in The New York Times, Avenue, Town and Country, New York Magazine, O, Essence, Ebony, NV Magazine, Redbook, Child and New York Family Magazine. Lee is co-author, with Crystal McCrary, of the 2004 novel Gotham Diaries, and has co-authored three books with Spike Lee: Please, Baby, Please (2002); Please, Puppy, Please (2004); and Giant Steps to Change the World (2011).

Lee resides in New York City with her husband and their two children, Satchel and Jackson.

Tonya Lewis Lee was interviewed by The HistoryMakers on April 6, 2014.

Producer and educator Judi Moore Latta was born on August 3, 1948 in Tallahassee, Florida to college professors Oscar and LaVerne Moore. In 1966, Latta graduated from Florida A & M University High School as valedictorian. She earned her B.S. degree in English education from Hampton Institute in 1970 and her M.A. degree in English literature from Boston University in 1971. In 1999, Latta received her Ph.D. degree in American Studies from the University of Maryland.

In 1972, Latta was hired as an assistant professor at the University of the District of Columbia, where she taught until 1980. From 1978 to 1979, Latta worked at WETA-TV/FM as a producer for From Jumpstreet: The Story of Black Music. From 1980 to 1988, she served as an independent producer for the Public Radio System and produced dozens of documentaries and other long form reports for National Public Radio. In 1984, Latta joined the faculty at Howard University as an assistant professor in the Department of Radio, Television and Film. Then, in 1988, she was hired as NPR’s first education reporter, where she was responsible for creating the Education beat for NPR’s National Desk. She then served as NPR’s executive producer of special programs and created Latin File, the first radio network Hispanic daily news program. From 1990 to 1992, Latta worked as a reporter and producer for WUSA-TV’s Capital Edition and, in 1992, served as producer of WRC-TV’s documentary special Drugs at Work. She then returned to NPR in 1992 as a senior producer of the twenty-six-part documentary series Wade in the Water: African American Sacred Music Traditions. After receiving her Ph.D. degree from the University of Maryland, and Latta was made full professor and chair of Howard University’s Department of Radio, TV and Film in 2000. In 2002, she became the first woman to serve in the role of interim general manager of Howard University’s WHUT-TV. Latta also served as co-chair of the University’s Certificate Program in Women’s Studies from 2005 to 2011, and as director of WHUR-WORLD from 2006 to 2009. In 2009, she was appointed Howard University’s executive director of communications and marketing, and served in the president’s executive leadership cabinet until 2012.

Latta has received numerous awards and recognition from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, American Women in Radio and Television, National Education Association, National Association of Black Journalists and National Federation of Community Broadcasters. In 1992, Latta was awarded the George Foster Peabody Award for her production of Wade in the Water: African American Sacred Music Traditions. She is a community volunteer, as well as a member of the Links Inc. (Silver Spring Chapter), the Olive Branch Community Church and the National Council of Negro Women (Potomac Valley Section).

Latta and her husband, Joseph Latta, D.D.S., live in Takoma Park, Maryland. They have two daughters and four grandchildren.

Judi Moore Latta was interviewed by The HistoryMakers on March 21, 2014 and January 31, 2017.

Singer, songwriter and producer Warren “Pete” Moore was born on November 19, 1939 in Detroit, Michigan. He attended Northern High School in Detroit, and was a childhood friend of singer Smokey Robinson. The two formed a singing group in 1955 called the Five Chimes, where Moore was the bass singer. In 1956, they changed their group’s name to the Matadors.

The Matadors caught the attention of Berry Gordy in the late 1950s, and, in 1959, the group recorded their first songs on Gordy’s newly formed Tamla label. The Matadors then changed their name to the Miracles, and went on to become the first successful recording act for Gordy's Motown Records. In 1967, the Miracles changed their name to Smokey Robinson & the Miracles. After producing many musical hits, Robinson left the group in 1972, but Moore and the Miracles carried on until the entire group disbanded in 1978. In 2007, Moore founded the Las Vegas-based entertainment firm, WBMM Enterprises. He is also co-owner, with Miracles member Billy Griffin, of the music publishing company Grimora Music.

Moore co-wrote several of the Miracles hits, including 1965’s "Ooo Baby Baby;” 1965’s Grammy Hall of Fame inductee “The Tracks Of My Tears;” “My Girl Has Gone,” a Billboard Top 20 hit from 1965; “Going to a Go-Go;” and the multi-million selling #1 pop smash, "Love Machine;" among others. The song "Overture" from the Miracles’ album City of Angels, co-written by Moore, was used as the official theme on Radio Monte Carlo in France from 1978 to 1979. He was also the vocal arranger on all of the Miracles’ hits.

Moore produced several hit songs as well, including the Miracles' 1965 R&B chart hit, “Choosey Beggar,” their 1969 hit, “Here I Go Again,” and the group's million-selling Top 10 hit, “Baby Baby Don't Cry” in 1969. He also produced the group’s City Of Angels album, along with albums by Marvin Gaye, and the Supremes. Moore's compositions have been recorded by Marvin Gaye, Debbie Boone, Linda Ronstadt, George Michael, The Rolling Stones, Aretha Franklin, Ramsey Lewis, Tom Jones, Luther Vandross, Michael Jackson, The Temptations, and The Four Tops.

Moore has received many honors and awards. He has been a four-time winner of the Broadcast Music, Inc. award for songwriting, and was inducted with the rest of the Miracles into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2001. In 2009, the Miracles received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and, in 2012, Moore was inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He has received the Award Of Merit by the American Society of Composers, Authors,and Publishers. The Miracles are also four-time inductees into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

Moore passed away on November 19, 2017.

Pete Moore was interviewed by The HistoryMakers on November 21, 2013.