November 6th, 2013 [Providence] On Tuesday, December 3rd, the Rhode Island Black Heritage Society, in collaboration with the Rhode Island Historical Society, will host a screening of The Loving Story. The film, being screened at 5:30 p.m. at the Aldrich House (110 Benevolent Street, Providence) as a part of the Created Equal series, details the struggle of Mildred and Richard Loving, an interracial couple. The documentary brings to life the Lovings marriage and legal battle that followed through rare filmed interviews and powerful photographs shot for Life magazine.

To continue to mark the 50th anniversary of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s March on Washington, The Rhode Island Black Heritage Society will offer a series of film screenings and discussion forums centered around four documentaries which illustrate the history of Civil Rights in America.

Created Equal: America's Civil Rights Struggle 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. NEH has partnered with the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History to develop programmatic and support materials for the film viewing sites.

The Rhode Island Black Heritage Society is one of the organizations across the country awarded a grant and four films: The Abolitionists, Slavery by Another Name, Freedom Riders and The Loving Story. All include dramatic scenes of 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 Rhode Island Black Heritage Society will show the final two at Rhode Island College and Roger Williams University as well as co-hosting this screening with the Rhode Island Historical Society. At each viewing, all in attendance will be encouraged to participate in an engaging, open-forum discussion pertaining to race relations in this country. Joyce Stevos, The Society's President said, We are proud to be a part of this national initiative which focuses on the historical context of the Civil Rights Movement and its monumental impact on society today.

Each of the films was produced with NEH support and each tells remarkable stories of individuals who fiercely challenged the many forms of institutional racism, from slavery to segregation. Created Equal programs bring communities together to revisit our shared history and help bridge the deep racial and cultural divides in American civic life. Visit http://createdequal.neh.gov/ for more information. This event is free and open to the public. For more information email RIBlackHeritageSociety@gmail.com or call (401) 421-0606.

Return