Actor, director, producer, writer, humanitarian, and Hollywood legend, Bill Duke, recently received a Lifetime Achievement Tribute from the Directors Guild of America as he joined the ranks of directors Stephen Spielberg, Alfred Hitchcock, and Clint Eastwood. Since the early 70s, Bill Duke along with industry veterans Michael Shultz and Gordon Parks, have long paved the way for African Americans in the industry. Bill Duke formally served on the Board of Trustees of the American Film Institute. Former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger also appointed him to the California State Film Commission Board. Mr. Duke served as the Time Warner Endowed Chair of the Department of Radio Television and Film at Howard University in Washington, DC. He was then appointed to the National Endowment of the Humanities by President Bill Clinton.

He is the founder and CEO of Duke Media, formerly Yagya Productions, which has been successfully producing film and television for over 30 years. Mr. Duke is dedicated to bringing quality Edutainment (education meets entertainment) to audiences around the globe. His documentaries, DARK GIRLS and LIGHT GIRLS, both NAACP Image Award nominees, aired on OWN and were two of the most successful documentaries on the network.

Bill Duke's numerous television series include but not limited to: BLACK LIGHTNING, DALLAS, FALCON, FAME, HILL STREET BLUES, SEA CREST, Tyler Perry’s THE OVAL, as well as among other television features. His feature film credits include THE KILLING FLOOR, A RAGE IN HARLEM, SISTER ACT 2: BACK IN THE HABIT, DEEP COVER, HOODLUM, THE CEMETERY CLUB, COVER and NOT EASILY BROKEN. Duke's acting credits include PREDATOR, AMERICAN GIGILO, CAR WASH, COMMANDO, MENACE II SOCIETY, THE LIMEY, GET RICH OR DIE TRYIN', and X-MEN 3. He has continued to divide his time between appearing in front of, as well as behind the camera.

He recently established the Duke Media Foundation. The foundation instructs young people aged 11 to 18 years-old the disciplines of financial and media literacy where young people are able to learn the art of filmmaking as well as managing the business and finances of filmmaking to ensure they are successful in their creative endeavors. Youth are able to learn the evolution from film to media including A.I. technology, virtual worlds, cell phone apps, games and mobile TV. In addition, the students learn the distinction between the spending of money and the use of money. The Duke Media Foundation ensures the next generation of creatives are equipped with the necessary knowledge, skills, and mentorship to remain competitive in the evolving film media industry.