[act-ma] (04/01 Friday) "AT THE RIVER I STAND" - Boston film showing honoring Dr. King

[S Rodrigues]

Film showing honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
"AT THE RIVER I STAND"

    Friday, April 1 at 7pm
    33 Harrison Ave., 5th floor
    Orange and Silver lines to Chinatown
    (small donations welcome, no one turned away for lack of funds)

April 4 marks the 43rd anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther 
King Jr. Join us for a film showing and discussion of the life of Dr. King and 
the struggle for civil rights. Get involved in the movement against war and 
racism--Find out how you can volunteer!

In 1968, Memphis's 1300 sanitation workers formed the lowest caste of a deeply 
racist society, earning so little they qualified for welfare. In the film, At 
the River I Stand, retired workers recall the threats they faced as they took on 
the entire white power structure when they struck for higher wages and union 
recognition.

But local civil rights leaders and the Black community soon realized the strike 
was a struggle for economic justice for all African Americans. Stirring 
historical footage shows the community mobilizing behind the strikers, 
organizing mass demonstrations and an Easter boycott of downtown businesses. One 
day a placard appeared on the picket lines which in its radical simplicity 
summed up the meaning of the strike: "I am a man."

In March, Martin Luther King Jr. came to Memphis as part of his "Poor People's 
Campaign" to expand the civil rights agenda to the economy. The film recreates 
the controversies between King's advisors, local leaders, and younger militants 
which led to open conflict. King felt obliged to return to Memphis to complete a 
nonviolent march despite the by-now feverish racial tensions. The film 
recaptures the driving sense of foreboding as King delivered his speech "I have 
been to the mountaintop," which would be his final address. The next day, April 
4. 1968, he was assassinated. 56 minutes, 1993.

Small donations welcome at the door. No one turned away for lack of funds.

SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT THE FILM SHOWING!

    Forward this announcement via email:
    http://www2.answercoalition.org/site/R?i=uWeaY-lQXLu_GfpIaaLU1w..

    Share on Facebook:
    http://www2.answercoalition.org/site/R?i=gjChjT-sVxfkBiXuG3O1_A..

    Share on Twitter:
    http://www2.answercoalition.org/site/R?i=YLgekXZPfBrljX1l6dbuCg..
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://act-ma.org/pipermail/act-ma_act-ma.org/attachments/20110329/35581c0e/attachment.html>