Emancipation Theme In Kapolei Film Series

In observance of the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation, Kapolei Library will host the documentary film series, “Created Equal: America’s Civil Rights Struggle” this month and next.

Hawaii Council for the Humanities and Chaminade History Center cosponsor the series with help from the Created Equal initiative of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

The series spans four weeks, starting Oct. 19 and ending Nov. 16., with screening beginning at 1 p.m.

A summary of each film follows:

* The Loving Story (Oct. 19) – Set in 1958, it tells the story of Richard and Mildred Loving, who were arrested in Virginia for violating the state’s ban on interracial marriage. Their struggle resulted in the Supreme Court case Loving v. Virginia (1967), which overturned anti-miscegenation laws in the U.S. Ann Rayson, professor emeritus of African American and ethnic literature at UHM, leads the discussion.

* The Abolitionists (Oct. 26) – The 1830s were a changing time in the United States, when a small group of reformers spurred the emancipation of millions of African Americans during a time when slavery was the driving force in America’s economy and politics. Chaminade’s Mitch Yamasaki leads the discussion.

* Slavery by Another Name (Nov. 2) – Despite the abolition of slavery following the Civil War, thousands of African Americans were forced into labor until the onset of WWII. The film is based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning book by the same title by Douglas Blackman. Jack Taylor, professor of African American literature and studies at UHM, leads the discussion.

* Freedom Riders (Nov. 16) – The 1961 Freedom Rides played an important role in the Civil Rights struggle. The film is based on Raymond Arsenault’s recent book and looks at this activist group who challenged segregation in the South. Jon Davidann of Hawaii Pacific University leads the discussion.

For more information, call the library at 693-7050.