Northeast South Dakota News

In celebration of Black History Month in February, the Brookings Human Rights Commission will offer free public screenings of the film “An American Story: Race Amity and the Other Tradition.”

The documentary highlights the interracial struggle for racial justice and the early cooperative efforts among Blacks and whites for the social and economic advancement of African Americans.

Screenings of the 52-minute film will be followed by facilitated discussions. Dates and locations are:

• 3 p.m. Saturday, February 11, at the Brookings Public Library (515 Third St.)
• 6 p.m. Friday, February 17, at the Brookings City & County Government Building – Third Floor Community Room (520 Third St.)
• 1 p.m. Sunday, February 26, at the East Fire Station & Meeting Hall (607 20th Ave.)

While the tradition of racial oppression was unfolding in in the United States, a parallel tradition, largely hidden and poorly understood, was demonstrating some of the most positive qualities to be found in American history. 

The film presents examples of people of different ethnic backgrounds working together to address social injustice from the birth of the nation to the present day. Interspersed with analysis by historical scholars, the uncelebrated legacies offer a fresh perspective on our collective identity and a new entry point for the public discourse on race: moving beyond polarization to build qualitatively different relationships through close cross-cultural collaboration, friendship and mutual respect.

Black History Month occurs each February as a time to celebrate the achievements of African Americans and to recognize their role in U.S. history.

About the Brookings Human Rights Commission

The Brookings Human Rights Commission (BHRC) is charged by the Brookings City Council to improve human relations and civil rights in the Brookings area by fighting discrimination through educational efforts and a complaint resolution procedure. The commission has the power to investigate complaints alleging discrimination against individuals or groups because of their sex, race, color, creed, religion, ancestry, disability, familial status or national origin, with respect to employment, labor union membership, housing accommodations, property rights, education, public accommodations, or public services. For more information regarding the BHRC, please contact any commission member, call City Hall at (605) 692-6281, or email humanrights@cityofbrookings.org. 

Original source can be found here.