Film & Discussion of "Moral Debt: The Legacy of Slavery in the USA

  • 31 Jul 2019
  • 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
  • Jefferson School African American Heritage Center

Moral Debt: The Legacy of Slavery in the USA

A film screening and discussion

https://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/aljazeeracorrespondent/2018/10/moral-debt-legacy-slavery-usa-181017093941707.html

Wednesday, July 31, 2019 at 5:00 – 7:00 pm

at the Jefferson School African-American Heritage Center

233 4th Street NW, Charlottesville, VA


Hosted by Coming to the Table (CTTT)

and the Charlottesville Dialogue on Race (DOR) History Action Team


Join the Charlottesville chapter of Coming to the Table and the DOR History Action Team for a screening of the documentary, “A Moral Debt: The Legacy of Slavery in the USA” followed by a panel discussion about the film’s themes of racial inequality, tolerance, and healing. This event is free and open to the public; light refreshments will be served.

Filmed partly in Richmond, this 2018 documentary is the work of Emmy Award winning filmmaker, Victor Tadashi Suarez, Lynn Ferguson (VirginMedia of London,UK) and Al Jazeera News Network correspondent, James Gannon. Gannon, who was born in Virginia, wanted to make this film after finding out he is a direct descendant of General Robert E. Lee. Gannon shared that as a foreign correspondent, he covers stories all over the world about implicit bias, supremacy and racial disparity. It was important for him to know what the United States was doing to heal the past. Gannon contacted the national headquarters for Coming to the Table and was directed to the Richmond chapter.

Panelists include Martha Rollins and Danita Rountree Green who are the co-founders of CTTT- Richmond and are featured in the film. Representing the Charlottesville/Albemarle community are two CTTT members:  Andi Cumbo-Floyd is a writer and historian who writes about the history and legacy of slavery in Virginia. Lorenzo Dickerson is a documentary filmmaker, photographer, and founder of the Maupintown Film Festival which highlights stories of African American history and culture through film and discussion every July.

This program is hosted by the DOR History Team in partnership with the local CTTT chapter as part of Unity Days C’ville which sponsors events to move our community towards economic and racial justice.

Coming to the Table is a national organization which provides leadership, resources, and a supportive environment for all who wish to acknowledge and heal wounds from racism rooted in the nation’s history of slavery. The Charlottesville chapter meets monthly and seeks other opportunities in the community to promote racial healing and build relationships across racial lines.  All are invited to attend the monthly meetings.   Learn more at www.comingtothetable.org

Dialogue on Race History Action Team emerged out of the second round of the Charlottesville DOR initiative in the fall of 2017.  This initiative resulted in a community-wide poll to select the “next steps”.  Out of all the action plans proposed, the highest priority went to supporting “local history events that highlight stories that have been purposely hidden and telling ALL local history, not just one side."  To that end, the DOR History group has worked with other local history organizations to increase awareness of Charlottesville’s “hidden history”.  In addition to the July 31 event, this group has partnered with The Thomas Jefferson Foundation to offer “Monticello to Mainstreet”, guided tours that connect the lives of families enslaved at Monticello to Charlottesville’s early history. Other local history projects are being planned for 2020.


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