FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 20, 2013
Contact: Robyn Truslow
Calvert Library Prince Frederick
410-535-0291
rtruslow@somd.lib.md.us
Created Equal: America’s Civil Rights Struggle Film Screenings at Calvert Library
In recognition of the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation and the 50th anniversary of the Martin Luther King March on Washington, Calvert Library is hosting a series of screenings and discussions titled Created Equal: America’s Civil Rights Struggle. The series is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) that uses the power of documentary films to encourage community discussion of America’s civil rights history and the changing meanings of freedom and equality in America. NEH has partnered with the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History to develop programmatic and support materials for the sites.
The first screening at Calvert Library Prince Frederick on Monday, September 9 at 6:30pm will be of The Loving Story, the moving account of Richard and Mildred Loving, who were arrested in 1958 for violating Virginia’s ban on interracial marriage. Their struggle culminated in a landmark Supreme Court decision, Loving v. Virginia (1967) which overturned anti-miscegenation laws in the United States.
Calvert Library is one of 473 institutions across the country awarded a set of four films chronicling the history of the civil rights movement. The powerful documentaries, The Abolitionists, Slavery by Another Name, Freedom Riders, and The Loving Story, include dramatic scenes of incidents in the 150-year effort to achieve equal rights for all. Freedom Riders received an Emmy in 2012, and The Loving Story and The Abolitionists have been nominated for Emmys in 2013.
The Created Equal series will also include an opportunity to meet Simeon Booker, acclaimed journalist who covered the U.S. civil rights movement as correspondent for Jet and Ebony and as the first black staff reporter on the Washington Post. Booker and his wife, Carole McCabe Booker, authored the book Shocking the Conscience: A Reporter’s Account of the Civil Rights Movement which has been described as “a searing and eye-opening memoir.” Both will be at the Calvert Library Prince Frederick on Monday, October 7 at 6:30pm and the book will be available for purchase and signing. Check with Calvert Library for details about the scheduling and location for the other films and discussions.
In addition to the screening/discussion events, Calvert Library’s Civil Discourse committee is partnering with the Maryland Commission on Civil Rights, Maryland Humanities Council, College of Southern Maryland Diversity Institute, Democracy Conversations in St. Mary’s County, the Community Mediation Centers of St. Mary’s and Calvert Counties, Calvert County Public Schools, and others to participate in a pilot project called Defying Definitions. This interactive community engagement program will employ a variety of strategies to engage Southern Marylanders in an ongoing discussion of identity, stereotypes and diversity. The project uses the humanities (film, literature, photography, poetry, etc) to bring people together for dialogue with the goals of breaking down stereotypes, reducing conflict, and modeling civil and meaningful discussion. The program will engage participants both in person at dialogue events and via www.DefyingDefinitions.org, an online platform designed by Cake and Eat It Designs, LLC, set to launch August 30. The first dialogue event is on Monday, September 23 at 6:00pm at Calvert Library Prince Frederick and registration is required because a light dinner will be offered thanks to funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities in partnership with the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. This discussion will be followed by one at the College of Southern Maryland La Plata Campus at the Center for Business and Industry on Monday, October 28 at 6pm; a third event will be held at the Leonardtown Branch of St. Mary’s County Public Library on Wednesday, November 13 at 5:30pm. Calvert Library Prince Frederick will wrap up both the Defying Definitions and Created Equal series with a community dialogue on Monday, December 2 at 6:30pm.
Both of these projects fit perfectly with the Choose Civility Southern Maryland initiative kicking off in October, which in turn dovetails with Maryland Humanities Council’s statewide One Maryland One Book project which has the state of Maryland reading the book King Peggy: An American Secretary, Her Royal Destiny, and the Inspiring Story of How She Changed an African Village. According to Robyn Truslow, Public Relations Coordinator for Calvert Library, “King Peggy encounters quite a bit of conflict, primarily because of expectations her elders have of her as a woman. The story is a good example of how overcoming stereotypes and preconceived notions can result in improved civility and overall community success.”
Tara Taylor, Mediation Program Director of the Maryland Commission on Civil Rights said, "In light of current events, it is more important than ever for community members to connect and have the opportunity for meaningful, civil discussion about difficult topics. We are excited to be part of these projects and to help the public find effective ways to reduce stereotypes, understand differences, and build stronger communities."
For more information about any of these projects and events, contact Robyn Truslow at Calvert Library, 410-535-0291.
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Robyn Truslow
Public Relations Coordinator
Calvert Library
850 Costley Way
Prince Frederick, MD 20678
410-535-0291
410-535-3022 Fax
rtruslow@somd.lib.md.us
