Hamilton Public Library News
By Hilary Virgil, Library Director
(Hamilton, NY – Sept. 2015) This October, the Hamilton Public Library is partnering with the National Abolition Hall of Fame and Museum (NAHOF) to present a series of civil rights documentaries accompanied by community discussions on the evenings of Oct. 1, 8 and 15 at 6:30pm. The series concludes with films and discussions of The Abolitionists in Peterboro on Oct. 25 at 11:30am following the Oct. 23 and 24 NAHOF event, Abraham Lincoln: The Great Emancipator.
Created Equal: America’s Civil Rights Struggleis an initiative of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) that uses the power of documentary films to encourage community discussion of America’s civil rights history. NEH has partnered with the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History to develop programmatic and support materials for the sites.
The National Abolition Hall of Fame and Museum is one of 473 institutions across the country awarded a set of four films chronicling the history of the Civil Rights Movement. The powerful documentaries, The Abolitionists, Freedom Riders, The Loving Story, and Slavery by Another Name include dramatic scenes of incidents in the 150-year effort to achieve equal rights for all. The Abolitionists was nominated for an Emmy in 2013. Freedom Riders received an Emmy in 2012, The Loving Story received Emmy and Peabody Awards in 2013 and Slavery by Another Name received nominations for best documentary at the Sundance Film Festival in 2012 and the Black Reel Awards in 2013.
The program conducted by the National Abolition Hall of Fame and Museum will feature discussions of the documentaries led by local historians and educators. Each of the films was produced with NEH support, and each tells remarkable stories of individuals who challenged the social and legal status quo of deeply rooted institutions, from slavery to segregation. Created Equal programs bring communities together to revisit our shared history and help bridge deep racial and cultural divides in American civic life. Visit www.createdequal.neh.gov for more information. The Created Equal film set and public programs have been made possible by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, as part of its Bridging Cultures initiative, in partnership with the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History.
The Library is normally open Monday-Friday, 10am to 7pm, and Saturday, 10am to1pm. Please visit or call the Library (315) 824-3060 during these hours for assistance. The book drop at the front of the building is always available for your convenience.