By DECLAN HERTEL Staff Writer
This past week at Western has been dedicated to the memory and accomplishments of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and with Black History Month coming in February, memories of the Civil Rights movement are in the air.
For the last five years, Dr. Dean Braa, sociology professor, has presided over the Civil Rights Film Series: an open class dedicated to educating the greater community about the Civil Rights Movement through film.
“We were talking at one of our organizational meetings, and we were commenting on how most students know very little about Civil Rights, that social studies in high schools particularly are doing a very poor job,” Braa said.
“People hardly knew Dr. King, let alone the greater Civil Rights Movement.”
He suggested that showing Civil Rights-centric films would be great for providing “a very good general education through film about Civil Rights.” He offered to go further, suggesting a full class be developed around the film series to be offered during January and February when we celebrate the fight for Civil Rights. And thusly, SOC 407 was born.
The series always screens some of the 14 episodes of “Eyes on the Prize,” an Academy Award nominated documentary and personal favorite of Dr. Braa detailing the Civil Rights movement from 1954-1965, and then the struggles of a post-integration America from 1965-1985.
About three years ago, the series added several films about Native Americans and their own ongoing, oft-overlooked civil rights battle, dealing with issues like control of their land and treaty violations throughout the years that still impact their lives today, many years after the initial forced exodus of Native Americans.
The best part of this class is that it is available to everyone, regardless of whether or not they’re taking it as a class or are even a student.
The series runs every Wednesday until the end of winter term, showing a different film.
“Come as you are interested, enjoy some good films, bring some popcorn, bring your dinner, come and sit with us and watch a good movie,” Braa said. “Enlighten yourself!”
