In 1936 when 18 African-American athletes participated in the Berlin Olympic Games, history forgot all except one. This is the story of the other 17.
Deborah Riley Draper is an award-winning filmmaker known for her compelling storytelling and ability to amplify diverse voices and journeys. Variety Magazine has previously recognized Ms. Draper as one of their "Top 10 Documakers to Watch." She is the director and executive producer, alongside Cedric the Entertainer, of the August 2024 CBS documentary "13 Days in Ferguson," which revisits the tragic story days following the killing of Michael Brown. Earlier this year, Deborah directed the acclaimed 4-part docu-series "James Brown: Say it Loud," which was executive produced by Questlove and Mick Jagger and released on A&E. Shot on 16mm film in Utah, Florida, and Georgia with 6-time world rodeo champion Kaycee Fields and NFL veteran Marcus Smith, Deborah also wrote and directed a campaign series for The Ad Council's mental health initiative "Love, Your Mind," which has already garnered several industry awards. Her short doc OnBoard, which premiered at the 2023 Tribeca Festival, was released globally with a viral social campaign on International Women's Day to bring visibility to the history of Black women on America's corporate boards.
Draper previously directed the 2-part series "The Legacy of Black Wall Street" for OWN/Discovery+, earning an NAACP Image Awards nomination for Outstanding Breakthrough Creative (Television). In 2017, she received an NAACP Image Award nomination for her documentary feature "Olympic Pride, American Prejudice," a film she also directed, produced, and wrote, which tells the untold story of the 18 African-Americans who challenged Hitler and Jim Crow in 1936, which was released on PBS in 2024 in conjunction with the Paris Summer Games. The film was one of only three films recognized globally by HRH Prince Albert of Monaco for the 2017 Sportel World Peace and Sport Award. Debuting at New York Fashion Week and Toronto Fashion Week in 2012 before premiering on LOGO TV, her first film "Versailles '73: American Runway Revolution" provides an inside look at the historic Palace of Versailles fundraiser, which catalyzed American Prêt-à-Porter, led by Black models. The film won the HBO Best Documentary at the MVAAFF. Draper served as archival producer for HULU's "Look at Me: XXXTentacion," using exclusive social media archives to drive the narrative arc, and directed the award-winning documentary "Twenty Pearls: The Story of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc." in 2021.
In addition to her contributions as a filmmaker, Deborah received recognition as one of the 2024 Georgia Entertainment 200 Most Influential of Georgia's Creative Industries. She is also a member of WGAW, a Film Fatales advisory board member, and a Film Independent Doc Fellow.
