Brooklyn Honors Spike Lee
As a freelance data developer and a huge Spike Lee fan, I was thrilled when I got the opportunity to work on the WheresMars.com project. The site, originally created in 2009 to promote a borough-wide celebration honoring Spike Lee, had been dormant for years. When I discovered the domain was available, I jumped at the chance to revive it and recreate its original content. From the moment I started, I was filled with excitement. This wasn't just another job; it was a chance to contribute to the legacy of one of my favorite filmmakers. I dove into the archives, piecing together the events and tributes that made up the original celebration. It was like stepping back in time to 2009, reliving the excitement of "Spike Lee Day" and the various exhibitions, panels, and performances that honored his work. However, my enthusiasm hit a snag when I discovered that the previous developers had been using Microsoft Access, which was no longer supported and was causing issues with more modern tools. This presented a significant challenge, as management couldn't afford a custom replacement for Access. Determined to make it work, I rolled up my sleeves and created a jerry-rigged patch. It wasn't the most elegant solution, but I was amazed at how well it held together. Every time I saw the site functioning smoothly, displaying information about events like "We've Gotta Have It!: Art Inspired by Spike Lee" or the "No Jheri Curls & No Drugs: A David Lee Photo Exhibit," I felt a surge of pride. Working on this project allowed me to delve deep into Spike Lee's connection to Brooklyn. I loved incorporating details about how his films served as turning points for Brooklyn's neighborhoods and contributed to the "Brooklyn Renaissance." It was fascinating to learn about the impact of movies like "She's Gotta Have It" and "Do the Right Thing" on both cinema and society. One of my favorite aspects of the project was ensuring that the site captured the spirit of the original celebration. I made sure to include Marty Markowitz's proclamation of June 30 as "Spike Lee Day," and details about events like the "He Got Game: Father & Son Basketball Tournament." These elements really brought home the community aspect of Lee's influence. As I worked, I felt like I was contributing to something bigger than just a website. WheresMars.com became a digital homage to Spike Lee's cultural legacy, preserving the memory of that 2009 celebration and continuing to highlight his ongoing influence on Brooklyn's cultural identity. Despite the technical challenges, seeing the completed site filled me with an immense sense of accomplishment. I had not only overcome the Access database hurdle but had also created a platform that truly honored Spike Lee's work and its significance to Brooklyn and beyond. As both a data developer and a fan, I couldn't be more proud to be associated with WheresMars.com.
So here it is.. Take a nostalgic walk back to 2009 and once agian see what event were planned to celebrate the life and work of Spike Lee.
NOTE: This page has used content from the archived version of the original site with additional content from other sources.
Brooklyn Honors Spike Lee will be the first borough-wide celebration honoring the living legend. It is a multi-faceted tribute that invites the 5 Boroughs, and the world, to celebrate the breadth and scope of Lee's work while educating them about the impact he has had on popular culture. This multifaceted tribute is conceived by PlanIt Brooklyn.
Lee's films have served as turning points for Brooklyn's neighborhoods and can be directly linked to the emerging cultural regeneration known as “The Brooklyn Renaissance”.
Marty Markowitz Proclaims June 30 “Spike Lee Day”
Dear Friends,
Brooklyn has long been renowned for the richness of its culture and artistic communities and for recognizing those distinguished and extraordinary individuals that create, support and promote artistic expression in Brooklyn, throughout New York and the world. It is indeed a place where legends are made, and when a most exceptional individual graces the world with their talent, expanding minds, opening hearts and doors of opportunity, as is the case with Brooklyn’s son Spike Lee, it is only fitting that we pay him tribute.
It is with great pleasure that I join with all Brooklynites in honoring the incomparable Spike Lee on the occasion of the 20th Anniversary of Do the Right Thing, a film that dared to challenge racial and cultural misconceptions. As one of the Hollywood’s most influential filmmakers, Spike Lee has left an indelible mark on popular culture and has irrefutably placed Brooklyn solidly on the artistic map, cinematically depicting Brooklyn’s eclectic vibrancy, which surely encouraged and inspired a flood of artists that have contributed to “Brooklyn’s Renaissance.”
As we celebrate the life and work of Spike Lee – innovator, husband, father and icon to millions around the world – we acknowledge his unparalleled film career, and his multi-generational impact on the Brooklyn community carved out on the blocks, corners and stoops of our beloved borough that he has made famous.
On behalf of 2.6 million Brooklynites, I proclaim June 30, 2009 “Spike Lee Day,” in Brooklyn, USA. I salute Sallome Hralima and Ashley Mui, of PlanIt Brooklyn, for spearheading this borough-wide event, and the sponsors and media partners for helping to make it all possible. I congratulate Brooklyn’s son, Spike Lee, on the momentous occasion of the 20th anniversary of the groundbreaking film, Do the Right Thing, and wish him many more years of sharing his immense talents with the world.
Sincerely,
Marty Markowitz
EVENTS
All events are free
THURSDAY EVENTS
Opening Reception – We’ve Gotta Have It!: Art Inspired by Spike Lee
Thursday, June 25 6-9PM
Salena Gallery
Brooklyn Campus of Long Island University
The Man and the Brand: Spike Lee Panel
Thursday, June 25th 7-9 PM
Spike Lee Screening Room
Long Island University 1 University Plaza (corner of Flatbush and Dekalb Aves) Brooklyn, New York 11201<
Train directions: 2/N/Q/R/B/D/M
FRIDAY EVENTS
No Jheri Curls & No Drugs: A David Lee Photo Exhibit
Friday, June, 26 6-9PM
Brooklyn Historical Society
128 Pierrepont Street Brooklyn, NY 11201
Train directions: 2/3/M/N/R
Buggin’ Out: Poetry Inspired by Spike Lee
Friday, June, 26 7-9 PM
Brooklyn Historical Society
128 Pierrepont Street Brooklyn, NY 11201
Train directions: 2/3/M/N/R
SATURDAY EVENTS
He Got Game: Father & Son Basketball Tournament
Saturday, June 27, 5-9 PM
McLaughlin (Tillary) Park
Tillary St / Jay St / Cathedral Pl / Bridge St Brooklyn, NY
Train directions: A/C/F
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DESCRIPTIONS OF EVENTS
“We’ve Gotta Have It!: Art Inspired by Spike Lee.”
This exhibit on June 25 6-9PM at the Salena Gallery Brooklyn Campus of Long Island University, launches the three celebration of the highly anticipated Brooklyn Honors Spike Lee tribute. Transcending cultural boundaries, it showcases the work of a multitude of visuals artists Spike Lee has influenced.
“We’ve Gotta Have It!” provides the opportunity not only to showcase innovative artwork, but also to offer a public thank you to Spike Lee for his inspiration.
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The Brooklyn Historical Society is proud to participate in this lively series of programs that recognize the profound impact of Spike Lee's work while celebrating his insights beginning in the 1980s through the present about Brooklyn's complicated cultural and social life
No Jheri Curls & No Drugs: A David Lee Photo Exhibit
Featuring forty-two photographs taken on and around the set of She's Gotta Have It, Spike Lee's first feature-length film, David Lee’s stills of children, brownstone-filled streets, and now blockbuster actors early in their careers serve as some of the most beautiful examples of his brother’s genius. The show is curated by Raquel Wilson. Friday, June, 26 6-9 PM at the Brooklyn Historical Society.
She's Gotta Have It tells the story of "a young, beautiful, sexually frank woman" struggling for independence and identity in a male-dominated society. The New York Times wrote that the film "ushered in the American independent film movement of the 1980s.
Spike Lee wrote and directed the film in 1986, which was shot in twelve days during the summer of 1985 on a budget of $175,000. Tracy Camilla Johns stars as the unforgettable Nola Darling. Tommy Redmond Hicks, John Canada Terrell as well as Spike play her suitors.
She's Gotta Have It was a groundbreaking film for African American filmmakers. It was a welcome change in the representation of blacks in American cinema. The highly stylized, black-and-white film featured a score by Lee's father, Bill Lee, who also scored many of Spike Lee's other films.
About the Photographer
David Lee has been photographing behind the scenes of his brother Spike Lee's films since Spike's first film, 1982's Joe's Bed-Stuy Barbershop: We Cut Heads. David Lee's resume includes a number of other notable photographic work on a variety of film sets including: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, American Gangster and the first season of HBO's "The Wire."
David Lee's fine art portfolio has been shown at the Museum of the City of New York, the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. and Boston's Photography Resource Center.
Some of David Lee's work was included in "Songs of My People," a group show of works from 100 African American photographers that has traveled internationally.
All images in the exhibit are courtesy of and from the collections of David Lee and the 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks Archive.
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Buggin’ Out: Poetry Inspired by Spike Lee
This event on Friday, June, 26 7-9 PM​ at the Brooklyn Historical Society will feature some of New York City’s hottest poets. Poets who will participate include: kahlil almustafa, MrJeffDess, Kelly Zen-Yie Tsai, Adam Faulkner, Eboni, Ngoma Abena Koomson, Caits Meissner, Aaron Reid, and Mahogany Brown.
If you have seen “Do the Right Thing” you know that Spike Lee laced the movie with some of the most memorable lines and quotes of the 1980s. Spike Lee used soul-stirring language to connect with audiences via the characters Sweet Dick Willie, Pino, as well as Martin Luther King, and Malcolm X. Buggin’ Out will demonstrate the impact of Lee’s films on the revived art of spoken word.
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The Man and the Brand: Spike Lee Panel
Spike Lee Screening Room, Brooklyn Campus of Long Island University, Thursday, June 25, 2009, 7PM
A critically acclaimed panel that will discuss the indelible mark Spike Lee has made on popular culture. Panelists will include native Brooklyn actors, academicians, entertainers, television personalities, and entrepreneurs.
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Do The Spike Thing: A Block Party
Secret Location, Brooklyn, Sunday, June 28, 2009, 2PM
Back in the day Spike Lee was known for throwing the most anticipated block parties in Brooklyn. Sign up to gain access to this event!
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He Got Game: Father & Son Basketball Tournament
Tillary Park, Saturday, June 27, 2009, 5PM
This two-on-two tournament will include father (male guardian or mentor) and son teams (two-on-two) playing for the He Got Game Trophy.
More Background on WheresMars.com: A Tribute to Spike Lee’s Cultural Legacy
WheresMars.com is a digital homage to Spike Lee, one of the most influential filmmakers of the modern era. Initially launched in 2009, the website was created to promote a borough-wide celebration in Brooklyn that honored the life and work of Lee, coinciding with the 20th anniversary of his seminal film, Do the Right Thing. The site was temporarily defunct but later revived by a dedicated fan who wanted to preserve the cultural impact of the original event.
This resurgence of WheresMars.com reflects a deep appreciation for Spike Lee’s role in shaping both cinematic and societal conversations around race, identity, and urban life in America. It is not just a retrospective of a specific event but an ongoing dedication to Lee’s body of work and its relevance to Brooklyn’s evolving cultural landscape.
The Historical Roots of WheresMars.com
The idea for WheresMars.com was born out of an immense local and global admiration for Spike Lee’s contributions to both film and popular culture. In 2009, Brooklyn took the initiative to officially celebrate Spike Lee’s achievements with a week-long event organized by PlanIt Brooklyn, a cultural organization. The celebration marked a significant moment in Brooklyn's history, as it served to recognize the filmmaker not just for his cinematic genius but for his impact on the identity of the borough itself. The event also solidified Lee’s cultural standing, linking his films to the borough’s growing artistic and social renaissance.
During the celebration, Brooklyn's Borough President at the time, Marty Markowitz, proclaimed June 30, 2009, as "Spike Lee Day." Events such as art exhibits, poetry readings, and basketball tournaments further highlighted the diverse ways Lee's influence spanned multiple art forms and social movements. WheresMars.com was established to both promote this celebration and provide a digital platform to share Spike Lee’s continuing impact on Brooklyn and beyond.
Why WheresMars.com Stands Out
The name "WheresMars" stems from Spike Lee’s deep interest in space exploration and its symbolism. Though Lee is primarily recognized for his films that focus on gritty urban realities and racial tensions, his fascination with outer space has also permeated his artistic expression in subtle ways. In fact, the character of Mars Blackmon, played by Lee himself in She's Gotta Have It, became a pop culture icon, symbolizing a quirky but deep persona rooted in the neighborhoods of Brooklyn.
WheresMars.com, by invoking the name "Mars," plays on this cultural reference, making it a fitting digital space for fans to explore Spike Lee's intersection of grounded urban narratives and his curiosity about the larger, cosmic questions of life. The website effectively bridges the local and the universal, making it both an intimate and far-reaching tribute to Lee.
Spike Lee’s Connection to Brooklyn
Spike Lee is synonymous with Brooklyn, New York, the city where he was born and raised. Throughout his career, Brooklyn has served as a backdrop for many of his films, including Do the Right Thing, Crooklyn, and Clockers. Lee’s films are recognized for capturing the social, cultural, and racial dynamics of Brooklyn neighborhoods, and his narratives often focus on the struggles of Black Americans living in urban settings.
WheresMars.com, in its tribute to Lee, encapsulates this relationship between the filmmaker and his hometown. The Brooklyn-centered events that were originally promoted through the website mirrored the themes of Lee’s films—neighborhood vibrancy, cultural conflicts, and the power of community. The website’s revival continues this legacy by preserving the memory of the borough-wide tribute and Spike Lee’s enduring influence on Brooklyn's cultural identity.
Cultural and Social Significance
Spike Lee’s films have had a profound influence not only on cinema but also on the larger societal discourse around race, identity, and justice. Lee's breakthrough film, Do the Right Thing (1989), tackled race relations and police brutality, subjects that continue to resonate in today’s social climate. WheresMars.com captures this ongoing relevance by archiving events that celebrated these contributions to American cinema and culture.
WheresMars.com also functions as a digital platform to highlight Spike Lee’s role in what has been termed the "Brooklyn Renaissance." This term describes the cultural revitalization that took place in Brooklyn during the late 20th and early 21st centuries, spurred in part by artists like Spike Lee who put the borough on the global artistic map. The website reflects the pride that Brooklynites and fans worldwide feel toward Spike Lee and the broader cultural movement his work helped to catalyze.
Press and Media Coverage
While WheresMars.com itself has not been a major focal point of press coverage, the 2009 celebration of Spike Lee it promoted garnered significant media attention. Publications such as The New York Times and The Village Voice covered the events, emphasizing the importance of celebrating Lee’s impact on American filmmaking and African American representation in media.
The original tribute was also notable for being one of the few large-scale borough-wide celebrations dedicated to a living artist, which is a testament to Lee’s lasting influence. WheresMars.com served as a central hub for promoting these events and providing access to the cultural activities that honored Spike Lee.
Audience and Reach
The website primarily appeals to Spike Lee fans, cultural historians, and individuals with a deep interest in Brooklyn's artistic history. Its audience is diverse, much like Spike Lee’s films, attracting viewers from different racial, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Spike Lee’s work transcends typical genre boundaries, appealing to both art-house film buffs and mainstream moviegoers alike. Similarly, WheresMars.com reaches a broad spectrum of users, from casual fans curious about Lee’s Brooklyn roots to scholars studying his impact on film and society.
Known For and Legacy
WheresMars.com is best known for its role in preserving and promoting the 2009 celebration of Spike Lee’s work. While the website is currently more focused on archival content, it continues to be a vital resource for fans looking to understand the broader context of Lee’s films, especially their connection to Brooklyn and the borough’s cultural regeneration.
The website’s dedication to maintaining its original purpose speaks to a larger trend in digital preservation and the importance of safeguarding cultural memory online. WheresMars.com has successfully avoided the fate of many expired domains, which are often repurposed for unrelated content. Instead, it continues to serve as a platform that celebrates one of Brooklyn’s most iconic figures.
WheresMars.com stands as a testament to the enduring influence of Spike Lee, both as a filmmaker and as a cultural icon. The site, through its focus on Brooklyn and Spike Lee’s role in shaping the borough’s identity, remains an important resource for anyone interested in understanding the intersection of art, culture, and social justice in modern America.
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