January 18, 2019
Filmmaker Fraser Jones and members of the Black Belt Citizens Fighting for Health and Justice shared Uniontown, a documentary film that weaves together the untold narratives of local heroes in nearby Perry County. The long-silenced southern city is continuously polluted with industrial waste and environmental racism according to devoted residents. Driven by the story of Esther Calhoun, a community leader and president of the Black Belt Citizens, the film is an intimate look at the lives of modern day environmental justice warriors determined to clean up their town and preserve what’s left of their natural resources, in the midst of a high stakes local election.
After the screening there was a moderated Q&A with Jones and members of Black Belt Citizens facilitated by Coleman Center teaching artist Salaam Green.
Uniontown opens the Coleman Center for the Art’s new screening series which will be held once a month on Friday evenings. The series will feature the work of six Alabama or regional filmmakers in our newly renovated Pop Start facility. The screening series is open to the public and free of charge including refreshments (popcorn, bottled water). Whenever possible the filmmakers will be present for post-screening talk backs and workshops.
This program is made possible through funding from the Alabama State Council on the Arts, ArtPlace America, and the Educational Foundation of America.