The Civil Rights Movements Unsung Heroines featured in free film

No Place for Hate – Falmouth invites everyone to a free film screening and discussion to mark Women’s History Month. This event, featuring the hour-long award-winning documentary film Standing on My Sisters’ Shoulders, will take place on Saturday, March 24 at 3pm in the Falmouth Public Library’s Hermann Foundation Room.

This award-winning documentary is the compelling story of the Mississippi Civil Rights movement from the point of view of its remarkable and courageous women who changed the course of history. Directed by Laura J. Lipson, the film has won ten award and been shown worldwide.

The Civil Rights movement brought forth many heroes, yet most of us have never heard of its many unsung heroines. Unita Blackwell, a sharecropper turned activist, became Mississippi’s first female black mayor. Mae Bertha Carter was the mother of 13 children who were the first to integrate the Drew County schools against dangerous opposition. White student activist Joan Trumpauer Mulholland not only participated in sit-ins but also took a stand on integration by attending an all black university. Annie Devine and Victoria Gray Adams, along with Fannie Lou Hamer, stepped up and challenged the Democratic Party and President Johnson at the 1964 Convention. Without the efforts of these women, the Civil Rights movement in Mississippi would not have been possible. In a state where lynching of black males was the highest in the nation, a unique opportunity for women emerged to become activists in the movement. They not only brought about change in Mississippi, but they altered the course of American history. This is their story of commitment, bravery and leadership in the face of a hostile and violent segregated society. In the name of freedom and equal rights, these women bravely faced great adversity and risked their physical safety, their jobs, and even their lives. When asked how they did it, one activist said, “I was standing on my sisters’ shoulders.” Learn more about the film at http://sisters-shoulders.org.

No Place for Hate - Falmouth is a community-based organization whose purpose is to build bridges to combat bias and to promote respect for all people through advocacy and education. Like us and follow our activities on Facebook. Sign up to stay informed through our emails at npfhfalmouth@gmail.com.