2/24/2024 (Photos) A NIGHT OF LOCAL HISTORICAL INSIGHT: A FREE "GLORY" SCREENING AND PANEL DISCUSSION AT THE SAVANNAH CULTURAL ARTS CENTERRead NowThe Friends of the Bradley Theater presented a special free screening of the award wining film “Glory” on February 24th, 2024, at 6 PM. This event, held at the Savannah Cultural Arts Center, promises an evening of historical reflection and cultural significance, with many local ties.
This was an opportunity for the community to come together for a powerful cinematic experience followed by an insightful panel discussion connecting the movie to local history and present day significance. This program was brought to the community for free in part by the Savannah Cultural Arts Center’s Spotlight: Facility Use program. Panelists: Panelist 1 – Sister Patt Gunn, Susie King Taylor Center for Jubilee Panelist 2 – Chris Allen, Colonel, US Army Special Forces (Retired) Moderator – Kareem McMichael, Filmmaker and Documentarian “We are thrilled to host this special screening of ‘Glory’ at the Savannah Cultural Arts Center. The film holds a unique place in history, and we believe that providing a platform for discussion will deepen the audience’s understanding of the sacrifices made by those who fought for freedom and equality,” said Daniel Chapman, Executive Director at the Friends of the Bradley Theater.
0 Comments
I am nominated for Savannah Best Local Actor - https://shorturl.at/iNV14 Voting for Connect Savannah's Best of Savannah 2024 are now underway! Check out Kareem McMichael. Best of Savannah 2024 nominee for Best Local Actor - hit "nominate" by my name. Final voting is from Feb. 6 - March. 6, 2024 and winners will be published online on May 16. 2/19/2024 Reshaping the Narrative: Henrietta Lacks grandson her story to life in new book from the families point of viewRead NowWe are living in a time where those with power and influence are rewriting history with inaccuracies or banning it from the public all together. The grandson of Henrietta Lacks is taking her story and his family story and telling it with the attention and accuracy he believes it deserves in his new book, SHADOWS OF IMMORTALITY: Untold Struggles of Henrietta Lacks’ Grandson.
Lacks' grandson Alfred Lacks Carter, Jr., will be at the Savannah Black Heritage Festival on February 19 at 6 p.m. as a part of the W.W. Law Lecture Series to talk about the book and his family legacy. “The book is an autobiography of my life, and it tells the story of my grandmother from a family member's viewpoint. The book also gives an in-depth preview of who my mother really was, who my dad really was, and how I grew up in the shadows of my immortal grandmother,” said Carter. Henrietta Lacks was an African-American woman who had cells from a tumor biopsied during treatment for cervical cancer at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1951. These cells were then cultured by George Otto Gey, who created the cell line known as HeLa, which is still used for medical research. Lacks family was not made aware of the line's existence until 1975. “My earliest recollection of my grandmother and her legacy I believe I was around nine years old, and my mom had shown me an article in a national genetics book. I thought it was just amazing to see a family member, let alone my grandmother, in a book. At that time, I didn't really have knowledge of how profound her cells were,” said Carter. Henrietta Lacks died in October 1951 at the age of 31, and her immortal HeLa cells have saved over 10 million lives, contributing to countless medical breakthroughs. He is now revolutionizing the Lacks' legacy to impact and inspire even more lives. “The legacy I want known about my grandmother is that she was a loving, caring wife and mother of five children, and only one of her children knew her. That was my oldest uncle, Lawrence. He was 16-years-old when his mom passed away. Everyone else was young. My mother was only 2-years-old, and my youngest uncle was only 1-year-old,” said Carter. Lacks life was depicted in the 2017 HBO film “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.” The film is based on a 2010 book of the same title written by Rebecca Skloot. In the film, Oprah Winfrey played Carter's mom, Deborah Lacks. Carter's mother died in 2009 before the book was released, and she never received any compensation for it, despite Skloot profiting. “All of my mom's hard work, time, and effort—it was like a moot point. Rebecca used our story to tell her story and to become a millionaire while the Lacks family still suffered from people that wanted to come and ravage and take advantage of the family,” said Carter. Despite Carter being a consultant on the film and being in it, he was not pleased with the final product and some of the portrails, as he felt they painted his family in a negative light, which is why for him it was important through his book to set the record straight and tell their story from their point of view. “I feel it's important for me to talk about the disadvantages in my book because my family witnessed it and lived through it firsthand. For marginalized people, people of color, and people of poor social and economic status, they're not treated the same way as those well off,” said Carter. Carter wants people to be educated, and beyond education, he wants people to vote and understand the law-making process. Carter, an ex-Marine, has overcome drug addiction, crime, and a 30-year prison sentence. Through his journey, he has been able to help and inspire others who have taken the path he has taken and help them see that there is redemption and a better way. “In my darkest times, my faith in Jesus Christ brought me through. Without his grace and his mercy, I wouldn't be here. I know what my mom went through, so I had to be strong for her and my son,” said Carter. As he builds his legacy, he is also making sure that he keeps his grandmother's legacy alive. He was the president and CEO of the Henrietta Lacks House, which offered transitional housing for men returning home from incarceration. “I had to close it down during COVID, but I am looking for another building, and we're going to be up and running sometime next year. Just being an inspiration to guys who are still in prison is great. A lot of the guys that I was in there with came through my housing program and are doing excellent,” said Carter. According to an August 2023 article by the Associated Press More than 70 years after doctors at Johns Hopkins Hospital took Henrietta Lacks’ cervical cells without her knowledge, a lawyer for her descendants said they have reached a settlement with a biotechnology company that they accused of reaping billions of dollars from a racist medical system. Attorney Ben Crump, who represents the family, announced the settlement and said the terms are confidential. Now Carter is looking to bring his story to the Savannah Black Heritage Festival, and he hopes that this will be a launching point to set the record straight about him, his family, and the legacy left by his grandmother. “I'm looking forward to coming to Savannah and sharing my life story and sharing information on how to help other people. I'm coming as Henrietta Lack's grandson to let people know that human element of Henrietta Lack's life,” said Carter. ---------------------- Feb. 19. 6pm. The W.W. Law Lecture Series I: “Shadows of Immortality” Alfred Lacks Carter Jr., author and founder and president of the Henrietta Lacks’ House of Healing shares the legacy of his grandmother, Henrietta Lacks, and his journey of reformation through his book entitled Shadows of Immortality: Untold Struggles of Henrietta Lacks’ Grandson. Overcoming drug addiction, crime, and a 30-year prison sentence, Alfred Lacks Carter, Jr. defied the odds, emerged, determined to reclaim his life as the living legacy of his world-renowned grandmother. Henrietta Lacks immortal HeLa cells have saved over 10 million lives, contributing to countless medical breakthroughs and he is now revolutionizing the Lacks' legacy to impact and inspire even more lives. Located at St. Phillip AME Church (613 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd). 2/19/2024 A Night of Local Historical Insight: A Free "Glory" Screening and Panel Discussion at the Savannah Cultural Arts CenterRead NowThe Friends of the Bradley Theater is proud to announce a special free screening of the award winning film "Glory" on February 24th, 2024, at 6 PM. This event, held at the Savannah Cultural Arts Center, promises an evening of historical reflection and cultural significance, with many local ties.
This is an opportunity for the community to come together for a powerful cinematic experience followed by an insightful panel discussion connecting the movie to local history and present day significance. This program is brought to the community for free in part by the Savannah Cultural Arts Center's Spotlight: Facility Use program. "Glory," directed by Edward Zwick, is a critically acclaimed film that tells the powerful story of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, one of the first African American units to fight in the Civil War. The movie explores themes of courage, sacrifice, and the fight for equality, making it a timeless and poignant piece of American cinema. Event Details: Date: February 24th, 2024 Time: 6 PM reception and 7 PM screening Location: Savannah Cultural Arts Center, 201 Montgomery Street, Savannah, GA 31401 The evening will kick off with a reception at 6 PM followed by a screening of "Glory," providing attendees with an opportunity to witness the film on the big screen and immerse themselves in its gripping narrative. Following the screening, a distinguished panel of experts will lead a discussion on the historical context, the significance of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, and the relevance of "Glory" in today's society. Panelists: Panelist 1 - Sister Patt Gunn, Susie King Taylor Center for Jubilee Panelist 2 - Chris Allen, Colonel, US Army Special Forces (Retired) Panelist 3 - Michael Chaney, SCAD Film Professor Moderator - Kareem McMichael, Filmmaker and Documentarian "We are thrilled to host this special screening of 'Glory' at the Savannah Cultural Arts Center. The film holds a unique place in history, and we believe that providing a platform for discussion will deepen the audience's understanding of the sacrifices made by those who fought for freedom and equality," said Daniel Chapman, Executive Director at the Friends of the Bradley Theater. This event is open to the public, and tickets can be reserved at facebook.com/thebradley theater and at Eventbrite. Don't miss this opportunity to engage with history and join the conversation about the enduring impact of "Glory." For media inquiries, please contact: Daniel Chapman [email protected] 919.452.7562 ### About Friends of the Bradley Theater The Friends of the Bradley Theater are determined to bring an arthouse cinema to Savannah. Our mission is to make Independent, foreign, classic, and cult films more accessible to the Savannah Community. Click here to reserve your tickets. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pop-up-movie-event-glory-with-a-special-panel-talk tickets-828700293887?aff=pressrelease ### Connect with Us www.Facebook.com/thebradleytheater ### Learn more about Savannah Cultural Art Center’s Spotlight: Facility Use Program at savannahga.gov/arts |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
March 2024
Categories
All
|