Zora's roots The life of Zora Neale Hurston

These two documentaries take different paths to explore the life of Zora Neale Hurston (1891-1960). Both include her words (e.g., Her Eyes Were Watching God and Dust Tracks on a Road) and film footage she took while doing anthropological research in Florida and the Caribbean. Both have interviews with scholars and people who knew her or were featured in her research. However, Zora's Roots tends to rely on dramatic reenactments of Hurston's life, while Jump depends more on period footage and images of the author. Jump also delves more fully into Hurston's life and the issues that drove her, including her relationship with Langston Hughes and how the play Mule Bone affected that relationship. Jump covers her political views, which were in opposition to those of the leadership of the Civil Rights Movement. The brief overview of Hurston's life provided by Zora's Roots would be perfect for a younger audience or those requiring just the basics. Jump at the Sun offers a deeper overview for those needing analysis from scholars and other writers. Both are excellent programs for their respective audiences.-Danna Bell-Russel, Library of Congress (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.