Black Roots is the fourth feature-length film produced and directed by American independent filmmaker Lionel Rogosin

Lionel Rogosin

Lionel Rogosin was a maverick independent American filmmaker who helped pioneer a form of non-fiction filmmaking influenced by the traditions of Robert Flaherty and Italian neorealism.-Early life:...

. The film gathers a number of African American

African American

African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...

 folk and blues musicians in a room, where they share stories and songs about the black experience in America. Film editor Carl Lerner is credited as an "associate producer"; and Alan Lomax

Alan Lomax

Alan Lomax was an American folklorist and ethnomusicologist. He was one of the great field collectors of folk music of the 20th century, recording thousands of songs in the United States, Great Britain, Ireland, the Caribbean, Italy, and Spain.In his later career, Lomax advanced his theories of...

, along with his daughter Anna, are credited as "musical consultants." Anna Lomax also has the credit of "assistant editor."

Lionel Rogosin would reunite with Jim Collier two years later for his next film, Black Fantasy

Black Fantasy

Black Fantasy is the fifth feature-length film produced and directed by American independent filmmaker Lionel Rogosin. It starred Jim Collier, who is credited also with "dialogue improvised by." Collier and Rogosin had previously worked together in Black Roots, produced two years earlier.Largely...

.