The Litchfield and Torrington
Historical Society's have teamed up to present two civil rights programs based
on the Created Equal Film Series and will be presented on February 20 and March
20th. These documentaries with riveting new footage 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 that
uses the power of documentary films to encourage community discussion of
America's civil rights history.
On February 20, (snow date Thursday,
Feb. 27) at the Torrington Historical Society located on 192 Main Street in the
heart of Torrington will host Tom Hogan who will discuss the film, The
Loving Story, which examines the groundbreaking U.S. Supreme Court decision on
interracial marriages. Tom Hogan, former lawyer and legal history
professor at UConn, we will take a look at a groundbreaking case that dealt
with the legality of interracial marriages. The documentary brings to life the
Lovings' marriage and the legal battle that followed through little-known
filmed interviews and photographs shot for Life magazine. Participants will
view film clips from the HBO documentary as well as supplemental materials
provided by Mr. Hogan.
The second
event in this civil rights series takes place on March 20 (snow date March 27)
at the Litchfield Historical Society located on 7 South Street in Litchfield
with the film, Freedom Riders. Litchfield blogger and history
professor Pete Vermilyea brings to light the activities of the freedom riders
in the last of our film series. Freedom Riders tells the terrifying, moving,
and suspenseful story of a time when white and black volunteers riding a bus
into the Deep South risked being jailed, beaten, or killed, as white local and state
authorities ignored or encouraged violent attacks. The film includes previously
unseen amateur 8-mm footage of the burning bus on which some Freedom Riders
were temporarily trapped, taken by a local twelve-year-old and held as evidence
since 1961 by the FBI.
All program
are free and open to the public. To register for any of these programs please
call the Litchfield Historical Society at 860-567-4501 or email
registration@litchfieldhistoricalsociety.org. For more information visit
http://www.litchfieldhistoricalsociety.org/tours/createdequal.php
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