For Immediate Release
Monday, January 11, 2016
Press Contacts:
Carbondale -- Diana Brawley Sussman, Carbondale Public Library, (618) 457-0354, dbrawley@carbondale.lib.il.us; Beth Spezia, WSIU Outreach Coordinator, (618) 453-5595, beth.spezia@wsiu.org; Lisa Tawil, ITVS, (415) 356-8383, ext. 244, lisa_tawil@itvs.org
Cape Girardeau -- Betty Martin, Director, Cape Girardeau Public Library, (573) 334-5279, ext. 111, bmartin@capelibrary.org; Alex Jackson, Development Director, KRCU, (573) 651-5070, ajackson@semo.edu; Beth Spezia, WSIU Outreach Coordinator, (618) 453-5595, beth.spezia@wsiu.org; Lisa Tawil, ITVS, (415) 356-8383, ext. 244, lisa_tawil@itvs.org
Press materials: http://itvs.org/films/black-panthers/photos-and-press-kit
WSIU & Partners to Host Free Film Screening & Discussion in Cape Girardeau & Carbondale Featured Film: The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution
Cape Girardeau Public Library: Thursday, January 21, 6-8:30pm // Carbondale Public Library: Saturday, February 13, 2:30-4:30pm
Cape Girardeau, MO / Carbondale, IL – Indie Lens Pop-Up, along with presenters the Independent Television Service (ITVS), the PBS series Independent Lens, WSIU Public Broadcasting, a service of Southern Illinois University Carbondale, KRCU, the Cape Girardeau Public Library, and the Carbondale Public Library are excited to present two free screenings of The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution, a film by Stanley Nelson.
Following both film screenings, guests are invited to participate in an open conversation about race relations and social justice issues.
The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution is the first feature-length documentary to explore the Black Panther Party, its significance to the broader American culture, its cultural and political awakening for black people, and the painful lessons wrought when a movement derails. Featuring Kathleen Cleaver, Jamal Joseph, and dozens of others, alongside a soul-power soundtrack of the music so integral to the Party's identity, the Stanley Nelson film offers an essential history lesson and a vibrant chronicle of a pivotal movement that gave rise to a new revolutionary culture in America.
The first event will be held on Thursday, January 21 from 6-8:30pm at the Cape Girardeau Public Library, 711 N. Clark in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Snow date for the Cape screening is Monday, January 25 at 6pm. Cup ‘N’ Cork in Cape Girardeau will provide a light soup supper. Guests also will be entered in a drawing for a $100 Amazon gift card. Registration is requested at http://bit.ly/black_panthers_cape or by calling the Cape Girardeau Public Library at (573) 334-5279.
Discussion moderators for the Cape event are Lloyd Williams, Vice President, NAACP – Cape Girardeau; Carl Kinnison, Instructor, Criminal Justice & Sociology, Southeast Missouri State University and former Cape Girardeau Police Chief; Dr. Hamner Hill, Chair, Political Science, Philosophy & Religion, Southeast Missouri State University; and Dr. Morris Jenkins, Dean, College of Health & Human Services, Southeast Missouri State University.
The second event will be held on Saturday, February 13 from 2:30-4:30pm at the Carbondale Public Library, 405 W. Main in Carbondale, Ill. Snow date for the Carbondale screening is Saturday, February 20 at 2:30pm. Discussion moderators for the event are still to be determined. Guests will be entered in a drawing for a $100 Amazon gift card. Refreshments also will be provided.
For more information about the film, visit http://itvs.org/films/black-panthers or http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/films/the-black-panthers-vanguard-of-the-revolution. You may also visit WSIU’s local web page at http://www.wsiu.org/indielenspopup. Questions about the screenings should be directed to the Cape Girardeau Public Library at (573) 334-5279 or the Carbondale Public Library at (618) 457-0354.
About the Filmmakers
Stanley Nelson (Director/Writer/Producer) is an Emmy Award-winning documentary filmmaker, MacArthur ‘Genius’ Fellow, and member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. He was awarded the National Humanities Medal by President Obama in August 2014. Nelson has directed and produced numerous acclaimed films, including Freedom Summer, Freedom Riders, Jonestown: The Life and Death of People’s Temple and The Murder of Emmett Till. He is also co-founder and Executive Director of Firelight Media, which provides support to emerging documentarians. Currently in production is Tell Them We Are Rising: The Story of Historically Black Colleges and Universities, the second in a series of three films Nelson will direct as part of a new multiplatform PBS series entitled America Revisited.
Laurens Grant (Producer) is a Peabody and three-time Emmy award-winning producer and director who has been making films for more than a decade. Her documentary Jesse Owens won an Emmy for Outstanding Research and received two Emmy nominations, for Outstanding Historical - Long Form and Outstanding Music and Sound. Grant also produced Freedom Riders, which premiered at Sundance, won a Peabody, three Primetime Emmys, was featured on Oprah, and clips are featured in Lee Daniels’ film, The Butler.
About Indie Lens Pop-Up
Indie Lens Pop-Up is a neighborhood series that brings people together for film screenings and community-driven conversations. Featuring documentaries seen on the PBS series Independent Lens, Indie Lens Pop-Up draws local residents, leaders, and organizations to discuss what matters most, from newsworthy topics to family and relationships. Make friends, share stories, and join the conversation. Find Independent Lens on Facebook for information on online Pop-Up events.
About WSIU Public Broadcasting
WSIU Public Broadcasting is licensed to the Board of Trustees of Southern Illinois University and is an integral part of the College of Mass Communication & Media Arts on the Carbondale campus. The WSIU stations reach more than three million people across five states and beyond through three digital public television channels, three public radio stations, a radio information service, a website, and an education and community outreach department. WSIU's mission is to improve the quality of life of the people they serve. The WSIU stations partner with other community organizations to promote positive change and to support the academic and public service missions of Southern Illinois University Carbondale. Learn more and get the latest station news online at wsiu.org and on WSIU's Facebook and Twitter pages. WSIU's programs and services are partially funded by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency.
About KRCU
As a regional source for diverse musical programming and award-winning NPR news, KRCU strives to continuously excel in providing the highest quality public radio programming to Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois. The station broadcasts 24 hours a day from the campus of Southeast Missouri State University on 90.9 FM in Cape Girardeau and 88.9 FM in Farmington and Ste. Genevieve.
About the Cape Girardeau Public Library
The mission of the Cape Girardeau Public Library is to be the community’s first choice for information gathering experiences through social interaction, programming, technology and the written word for all ages.
About the Carbondale Public Library
The Carbondale Public Library provides resources and services to support the educational, informational, cultural, and recreational needs of the Carbondale community. The library is part of the Illinois Heartland Library System. For more information about the library, including how to get a library card, call (618) 457-0354.
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