Panel to discuss 50th anniversary of voter registration efforts

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s Institute on Race and Ethnicity, Arkansas Educational Television Network, and Mosaic Templars Cultural Center will present a free preview screening of “American Experience: Freedom Summer” as part of the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center’s Juneteenth celebration at 1 p.m Saturday, June 21.

The screening will be held in the third-floor auditorium of the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center followed by a panel discussion. Light refreshments will be served.

The screening is free and open to the public; however, seating is limited. Register at ualr.edu/race-ethnicity.

“Freedom Summer” is a documentary by award-winning filmmaker Stanley Nelson of the “Freedom Riders,” and “The Murder of Emmett Till,” and tells the stirring, inspirational story of 10 weeks during the summer of 1964.

During this period, more than 700 student volunteers joined with organizers and local blacks in a historic effort to canvas for voter registration, create Freedom Schools, and establish the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party.

The advance screening is an opportunity for the public to see “Freedom Summer” before it premieres as part of the “American Experience” series on AETN at 8 p.m. Tuesday, June 24. For more information about the film or to watch the trailer, go to to ualr.edu/race-ethnicity.

The Mosaic Templars Cultural Center’s observance of Juneteenth commemorates the holiday with a variety of activities designed to celebrate the rich history and culture of African Americans in Arkansas. Juneteenth marks the abolition of slavery in the U.S. in 1865.

In addition to the “Freedom Summer” screening and discussion panel, the Juneteenth street festival celebration will feature a wide range of family friendly activities, including voter registration drives, various speakers, poets, and live music. Further information about the Juneteenth activities may be found at mosaictemplars.com/juneteenth.

The Mosaic Templars Cultural Center, a museum of the Department of Arkansas Heritage, is dedicated to telling the history of African Americans in Arkansas from 1870 to the present, especially in the areas of politics, business and the arts.

The Arkansas Educational Television Network (AETN) is Arkansas’s statewide public television network that enhances lives by providing lifelong learning opportunities for people from all walks of life. AETN delivers local, award-winning productions and classic, trusted PBS programs aimed at sharing Arkansas and the world with viewers. AETN depends on the generosity of Arkansans and the State of Arkansas to continue offering quality programming. For more information, visitwww.aetn.org, or follow the AETN blog atwww.aetn.org/engage. AETN is broadcast on KETS (Little Rock), KEMV (Mountain View), KETG (Arkadelphia), KAFT (Fayetteville), KTEJ (Jonesboro), and KETZ (El Dorado).

The Institute on Race and Ethnicity at UALR was founded in July 2011. With a vision to make Arkansas the best state in the country for promoting and celebrating racial and ethnic diversity, the Institute conducts research, promotes scholarship and provides programs that address racial inequities. It does so by facilitating open and honest dialogue aimed at empowering communities and informing public policy to achieve more equitable outcomes. For more information, visit ualr.edu/race-ethnicity or the Institute’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/Arkworktogether.