The documentary film, “The Lincoln School Story,” will be presented by Cincinnati World Cinema along with its “5 Oscar Short Docs Film Festival” this weekend at Memorial Hall in Cincinnati.
Kati Burwinkel, project director of the Highland County Historical Society’s Lincoln School Committee, will introduce the movie and sit on the panel discussions for all the films being presented. She said Cincinnati World Cinema typically chooses one local film to be included with the showing of the Oscar-nominated shorts that are shown, and the documentary on the Lincoln School was given that honor this year.
Burwinkel said she was excited that the film was chosen to be viewed this weekend, and that she was asked to participate in the program.
According to a press release, there will be two separate programs with three documentaries each screening on Friday, Feb. 16th at 6:30 and 9 p.m., repeating Saturday, Feb. 17th at 4 and 7 p.m. “The Lincoln School Story” is part of the program showing Friday at 6:30 and Saturday 7. Film descriptions, directions, parking, seating options and tickets, plus food and beverage information can be found at www.cincyworldcinema.org.
Tickets are available online and by calling 859-957-FILM.
“The Lincoln School Story: A Battle for Integration in Ohio” is a short documentary film that tells the story of how five African American mothers and their children fought for school integration in 1954 in Hillsboro.
For two years, the mothers and children marched every day, despite segregationist redistricting, cross burnings and legal threats. Their lawsuit against the school board was the first northern test case of the historic Brown v. Board of Education decision of 1954, which had declared school segregation illegal.
Produced by award-winning filmmaker Andrea Torrice, the program was made possible by the Highland County Historical Society and is part of their Lincoln School exhibition. It was funded through the support of the Ohio Humanities Council, the Ohio Arts Council, and South Central Power. For more information about the exhibition, visit www.lincolnschoolhillsboroohio.weebly.com or call 937-393-3392.
“The Lincoln School Story” video, along with a viewer’s guide, is available for use for any organization interested in knowing about the history of the struggle for school desegregation. For more information, contact [email protected].
The film showings this weekend are just the latest in a number of accolades that have been bestowed on the film and the people it honors. Hillsboro’s “marching moms” and a number of students were recently enshrined in the Ohio Civil Rights Hall of Fame.
Honored from Hillsboro were: mothers Zella Cumberland, Elsie Steward Young, Sallie Williams, Zora Cumberland, Selicka Dent, Alberta Jewett, Maxine Thomas, Francis Curtis, Joanne Zimmerman, Dellia Cumberland, Glea Clemons, Minnie Speech, Roxie Clemons, Norma Rollins, Alberta Goins, Rosa Kilagore, Gertrude Clemons, Imogene Curtis, Nellie Zimmerman and Della Blakey.
Honored students were Joyce Clemons Kittrell, Teresa Williams, Eleanor Curtis Cumberland, Myra Cumberland Phillips, Virginia Steward Harewood, Carolyn Steward Goins, Mary Williams Steward, Peggy Williams Hudson, Glenna Dent Hennison, Billy Dent, John Curtis, Lawrence Curtis, Lewis Goins, Lee Curtis, Ralph Steward, Rev. Michael Hudson, Harold Joe Thomas, Delbert Thomas, John Cumberland Jr., Doris Cumberland, David Butch Johnson, Marva Curtis, Rosemary Clemons, Jennie Speech Williams, Howard Williams, Brenda Thomas Coleman, Winnie Thomas Cumberland, Debbie Rollins, Charles Johnson, Diane Zimmerman, Glen Dent, Lynn Dent, Evelyn Steward Bostie, Sarah Alice Clemons, Annabell Johnson Smith, and Dorothy Clemons Ford.
The 60th anniversary in 2016 of the U.S. Supreme Court ordering Hillsboro to immediately integrate its elementary school began a commemoration of the drama that took place over a two-year period from 1954-56.
