LANSING— The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, in Detroit, is hosting a dramatization and panel discussion surrounding the Sweet Trials as chronicled in this year’s Great Michigan Read, Arc of Justice: A Saga of Race, Civil Rights, and Murder in the Jazz Age.
This project, made possible through a Michigan Humanities Council strategic program grant of $10,000, will be held Saturday, January 14 at 1 p.m. in the museum’s General Motors Theater.
Arc of Justice, written by Detroit native Kevin Boyle, tells the story of African American physician Ossian Sweet and the chain of events that occurred after he purchased a home for his family in an all-white Detroit neighborhood in 1925.
The dramatization, written and directed by Brenda Perryman, provides historical context and powerful storytelling from which the audience can connect with Dr. Sweet’s story. Following the reenactment, a panel discussion will be moderated by Jocelyn Benson, associate director of the Damon J. Keith Center for Civil Rights, along with panelists Judge Denise Page Hood of the United States District Court for Eastern District of Michigan, and Dr. Irshad Altheimer, associate professor of criminal justice at Wayne State University. Content for discussion will be developed by the students of the Detroit Urban Debate League.
Both events are free and open to the public. A reservation is required by calling (313) 494-5800.
The Great Michigan Read is a free statewide humanities initiative inviting Michiganians to read and participate in book discussions and events in their hometowns. Intended for young adults to senior citizens, the Great Michigan Read aims to make literature more accessible and appealing, while also encouraging residents to learn more about their state.
About the Michigan Humanities Council
The Michigan Humanities Council is a private, nonprofit organization created to foster a better understanding of each other and our state through local cultural, historical and literary experiences for all. The Council was founded in 1974 and is funded in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities and individual donors. For more information on future programs, upcoming grant opportunities or how you can support these efforts, please visit www.michiganhumanities.org or call (517) 372-7770. |
