[Archived] Alexandria Black History Museum Announces Winter Line-Up of Free Films

Free Monthly “Movies with a Mission” Screenings Explore African Diaspora

The Alexandria Black History Museum is continuing its partnership with SankofaSpirit to share its “Movies with a Mission” with Washington, D.C., area audiences. This monthly series, which began in 2009, continues in 2012. The screenings are held at 4:30 p.m. on the second Saturday of each month at the museum, 902 Wythe Street.

“Movies with a Mission” are free monthly films from and about Africa and the African Diaspora that seek to inform and inspire dialogue. Screenings will be followed by a discussion and gallery walk. Reservations are requested, as seating is limited. For more information or to make a reservation, please call 703.746.4356. The following films will be offered this winter:

January 14 – “End of the Rainbow”
“End of the Rainbow” provides a concise but in-depth look at the impact of global extractive industries on local populations and their economy, traditions and environment. The film depicts the dismantling of a massive gold mining operation in Borneo and then follows its reconstruction in northeastern Guinea. The film also explores the impact on a Guinean village near where the gold mine was rebuilt after the mining company negotiated a secret royalty arrangement with a local government noted for its corruption. (83 min.)

February 11 – “Homecoming”
The epic story of African American farming in the South, “Homecoming” chronicles land loss and black farmers from the Civil War to the present. Featuring archival footage and audio tracks including the voices of Malcolm X, Fannie Lou Hamer and Julian Bond, the film also excerpts the testimony of freed slaves, Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon and the writings of August Wilson. Producer/director Charlene Gilbert places her own family farm in Montezuma, Georgia, squarely in the historical context of the black farm movement in America. Narrated by Charles S. Dutton. (111 min.)

March 10 – “Taking Root: The Vision of Wangari Maathai”
Planting trees for fuel, shade, and food is not something that anyone would imagine as the first step toward winning the Nobel Peace Prize. Yet with that simple act, Wangari Maathai (right), a woman born in rural Kenya, started down the path that reclaimed her country’s land from 100 years of deforestation, provided new sources of food and income to rural communities, gave previously impoverished and powerless women a vital political role in their country, and ultimately helped to bring down Kenya’s 24-year dictatorship. “Taking Root” tells the dramatic story of the woman whose simple act of planting trees grew into a nationwide movement for which this charismatic woman became an iconic inspiration. (80 min.)

Founded in 2002, Atlanta-based SankofaSpirit is dedicated to providing cultural and educational programs and services that focus on Africa and the African Diaspora. Through its programs and services, SankofaSpirit encourages people of African descent to reconnect with their great legacy. For more information, please visit www.sankofaspirit.com.

The Alexandria Black History Museum is located at 902 Wythe Street in the heart of the Parker-Gray Historic District and is open from Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

For more information, visit www.alexblackhistory.org or call 703.746.4356.