Black Women Directors is a digital library that celebrates the work of Black women and nonbinary filmmakers from across the African Diaspora. This evolving archive exists to honor their contributions through documenting their work and organizing cultural programming for audiences to engage with.
About The Founder
Danielle A. Scruggs is the founder and curator of Black Women Directors.
Her work has been featured in Marie Claire, Blavity, The Cut, and Block Club Chicago.
As a longtime movie fan, she wanted to learn more about Black women’s contributions to the film canon. Inspired by platforms such as Kimberly Drew’s Black Contemporary Art on Tumblr, she created Black Women Directors in 2015 to highlight and archive the work of Black women and nonbinary filmmakers worldwide. A decade later, the archive has grown to include nearly 500 films by more than 100 filmmakers.
In 2025, Danielle won two Webby Awards, including Best Personal Website and a People's Voice award.
She has collaborated with institutions such as the University of Chicago’s Arts and Public Life Initiative and Yvonne Welbon’s Sisters in Cinema Media Arts Center to organize independent film screenings and cultural programming in the Chicagoland area, including the Chicago Film Symposium.
Danielle was born and raised in Chicago and is a proud graduate of Howard University and the Maryland Institute College of Art.
Photo by Alina Tsvor
“Black Women Directors is for me, first and foremost, a beacon. It is the signal fire that says, This can be done, this has been done, this will be done, by women just like you. It is a light in the darkness to community and lineage, celebration and inspiration...No matter how lonely the road or adrift we may feel, Black Women Directors is the clarion call reminding us that, seen and unseen, celebrated or unsung, our work matters.
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Is Black Women Directors an agency or a production company?
Nope! Black Women Directors is an archive and platform for cultural programming — not an agency, talent management company, or production studio. While I love highlighting the work of Black women and nonbinary filmmakers, I don’t facilitate hiring, representation, or project development. If you’re seeking collaborators, I encourage you to reach out to filmmakers directly via the contact information listed on each filmmaker's page, or explore platforms like Brown Girls Doc Mafia.
I have an opportunity, and I want to hire a director I saw on this site. How do I contact them?
Shout-out to you for expanding your hiring practices! As much as possible, I include contact information for the directors listed on this site—namely, their websites and social media handles — so people can contact them directly for this very reason.
I don’t see my favorite director on the site! Where are they?
Black Women Directors, which began as a Tumblr in 2015, is not intended to be a definitive, exhaustive list. I have always viewed this platform as an ongoing, ever-growing archive of Black women and nonbinary filmmakers and their work. So, if you don't see your favorite director, fear not! They will be added; keep checking back.
I should also note that at the moment, Black Women Directors is run by a staff of one, so while the additions may not be instantaneous, they are always coming!
What about gender identity?
“Women” means cis & trans women. Nonbinary and gender-nonconforming folks are also included. This is an inclusive space!
I am a Black woman/nonbinary filmmaker who wants to be added to the site. What should I do?
Excellent! Please fill out this handy form!
I’m an aspiring filmmaker/playwright/screenwriter and I’d love mentorship or guidance. Can you help?
I deeply appreciate messages like these, and it means the world that the archive is resonating with you. Currently, BWD doesn’t offer formal mentorship. However, I’m working on building future opportunities that can better support emerging creatives. In the meantime, feel free to stay connected via the newsletter, where I share resources, and opportunities for filmmakers as they arise.
A monthly dispatch of curated film recs, archive highlights, and cultural commentary.