JPAC To Host Documentary And Discussion On Race In America

An infamous period of murderous mayhem which took the lives of hundreds of African Americans and displaced thousands will be examined by intellectuals from the United States and the Caribbean on Saturday in New York. 
 
The spirited discussion about this particularly tumultuous history of race relations in America will take place in Queens at the Jamaica Performing Arts Center (JPAC) this Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 6 p.m.
 
In recognition of Black History Month, JPAC, located at 153-10 Jamaica Avenue in Jamaica, New York, will co-host the lively discussion free-of-charge to the public.
 
Also on the evening’s agenda at the Center is the searing documentary “Before They Die!” which features the story of the survivors of the 1921 Tulsa Race Riot and their ongoing quest for justice.
 
Moderated by respected Caribbean American scholar Dr. Ivelaw Griffith, Provost of York College and Board Member of the Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning (JCAL), the discussion will feature the film’s director Reginald Turner, Founder and Director of The Tulsa Project; Andrew P. Jackson (also known as Sekou Molefi Baako), Executive Director of the Langston Hughes Community Library and Cultural Center; collector and researcher Brett Crenshaw; and Laurel Brown, Executive Director of the Jamaica Center Business Improvement District.
 
“Before They Die!” is the story of what many see as the worst race riot in the history of the United States, where in less than 24 hours, the prosperous African American section of Greenwood, also known as “Black Wall Street,” was completely destroyed in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
 
An estimated 300 were reported killed, and more than 10,000 people displaced overnight as homes and businesses were burned to the ground by a white mob. This is the story of the survivors of the 1921 Tulsa Race Riot and their quest for justice. It is also the story of the efforts to right a wrong with justice being the subject of the night’s film and discussion.
 
The free event, which is open to the public, is presented in collaboration with the Langston Hughes Community Library and Cultural Center.