40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks

40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks is the production company of Spike Lee, founded in 1979. The company name is a reference to the phrase most often used to refer to the early Reconstruction period policy and episode of events, in which certain recently emancipated black families on the Georgia coast were given lots of land no larger than 40 acre and in some cases surplus army mules. The order, issued in 1865 by General Sherman as "Special Field Order 15", was later revoked by Andrew Johnson, and the land was taken away from the freed slaves and returned to previous owners. The company's logo contains a circle with the icon "40a". Later on, it used a parody of the Mark VII Limited logo.

History
The company has produced all of Lee's films, starting in 1986 with She's Gotta Have It. After the success of films Do the Right Thing and Malcolm X, Lee expanded the 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks brand by opening clothing stores with merchandise that bore the company's emblem. Lee has also done several collaborations with Nike, Eckō Unltd. and Brooklyn Denim.

40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks also has an advertising division with DDB called Spike DDB located in New York City. They have done Super Bowl, Nike and Lay's commercial spots. They have produced commercials and music videos in addition to Lee's films. The company established a music branch, used to designate records, 40 Acres and a Mule Musicworks in 1993.

In the late 1980s, the company sought a partnership with Universal Pictures, which was reupped in September 1992, and stayed on for five years, which lasted until March 2, 1997, when it was moved to Columbia Pictures. Sam Kitt was named president of production at the Sony-based studio on June 18, 1997.

In 2004, the company moved all of its operations to New York City with headquarters on South Elliott Place in the Fort Greene neighborhood of Brooklyn.

In December 2021, the company had signed a multi-year creative partnership with Netflix to develop their film and television projects.

Awards and honors

 * 2010: Peabody Award for If God Is Willing and Da Creek Don't Rise

Television

 * A Huey P. Newton Story (2001)
 * Good Fences (2003)
 * When the Levees Broke (2006)
 * Kobe Doin' Work (2009)
 * If God Is Willing and da Creek Don't Rise (2010)
 * She's Gotta Have It (2017–19)
 * NYC Epicenters 9/11-2021½ (2021)