How It Feels to Be Free

About How It Feels to Be Free

Tells the inspiring story of how six iconic African American female entertainers – Lena Horne, Abbey Lincoln, Nina Simone, Diahann Carroll, Cicely Tyson and Pam Grier – challenged an entertainment industry deeply complicit in perpetuating racist stereotypes, and transformed themselves and their audiences in the process.

How It Feels to Be Free (2021) is a documentary film directed by Yoruba Richen. At 120 minutes long, it arrived in January 2021.

Abbey Lincoln takes the lead as Self (archival footage), Nina Simone as Self (archival footage), Diahann Carroll as Self (archival footage), and Pam Grier as Self (archival footage). The screenplay is by Ruth Feldstein. Produced by Yap Films. In the United States it streams on PBS Documentaries Amazon Channel.