This month, revisit the history of the Civil Rights Movement as the nation marks the historic anniversaries of the Emancipation Proclamation and the March on Washington.
- “Created Equal: America’s Civil Rights Struggle” — an event series sponsored by the National Endowment for the Humanities — uses the power of film to explore a shared history of overcoming racial and cultural barriers on a local and national level. Make plans to attend the events listed below. All are welcome to attend.
- Created Equal Family Celebration – 1 to 4 p.m. Feb. 14, Jackie Townsell Bear Creek Heritage Center, 3925 Jackson St. Kick off the Created Equal series with a screening and discussion of the documentary “Slavery by Another Name” led by Dr. Richard B. McCaslin, chair of the University of North Texas History Department. Refreshments will be served.
- A Visit with Illustrator, A.G. Ford – 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Feb. 16, East Branch Library, 440 S. Nursery Road. Meet A.G. Ford, New York Times best-selling illustrator of “Barack” by Jonah Winter, “Michelle” by Deborah Hopkinson and “Goal!” by Mina Javaherbin. Hear about Ford’s connection to the civil rights movement. Crafting and refreshments to follow the presentation.
- Freedom Riders – 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Feb. 19, Valley Ranch Library, 401 Cimarron Trail. See the Emmy award-winning film, “The Freedom Riders,” that documents the heroism of an eclectic group of civil rights protestors in the segregated South of the early 1960s.
- The Loving Story – 6 to 8 p.m. Feb 24, West Irving Library, 4444 W. Rochelle Road. Ages 13 and older can witness the Emmy award-winning story of the couple who fought to make laws against interracial marriage unconstitutional. Dr. Todd Moye of the University of North Texas Oral History program will lead a discussion following the screening.
The Created Equal film series is made possible through a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, as part of its Bridging Cultures initiative, in partnership with the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. Visit neh.gov/created-equal for more information.
