PRESS RELEASE:

PBS' acclaimed history series, American Experience, presents the powerful and harrowing documentary Freedom Riders. In the early 60s, men and women, black and white, "got on the bus" and traveled from Washington D.C. to the deep South confronting segregation, encouraging voter registration, advancing the cause of civil rights and ultimately risking their lives. The Freedom Riders' belief in non-violent activism was greatly tested as mob violence and bitter racism greeted them along the way. Freedom Riders, by award-winning filmmaker Stanley Nelson, premieres Monday, May 16 at 7:00 p.m. on KUED Channel 7.

Following the Freedom Riders premiere, KUED has created two special local productions that highlight Utah's connection to past and present dialogues on civil rights. Utah's Freedom Riders, produced by Nancy Green, looks at a handful of Utahns who actively participated in the civil rights events of the 1960s. Navigating Freedom: A Utah Youth Perspective, a collaboration with SpyHop Productions, presents films by 8 young women who explore contemporary issues of freedom, rights and justice.

As part of the outreach around the films, KUED has partnered with community organizations to present a number of related events, all free and open to the public. Partners include: Spy Hop, SLC Film Center, the Center for Documentary Arts, the Salt Lake City Library, SLCC Community Writing Center, King's English Bookshop and the Utah Education Network, who offer a variety of Freedom Riders related events, exhibits and educational materials. For more information visit http://www.kued.org/productions/freedom-riders/?area=partner-projects

• The Salt Lake City Public Library screens three films: a sneak peek screening of Freedom Riders on Tuesday, May 10 at 6:30 p.m.; Freedom on My Mind, the story of voter registration efforts in Mississippi, on June 14; and on June 28, Neshoba: the Price of Freedom, the story of three civil rights workers who were murdered. The Library also will host the Freedom Riders: American Experience national traveling exhibit in June.
• SLCC Community Writing Center presents "Freedom Writers." The project invites all community members to share written stories of civil rights as they relate to the individual or the change one wants to see. Whether it is poetry, essays or testimonials, these writings will be showcased for the general community through visual and written exhibits. Selected writings will be posted on the Freedom Riders web site, kued.org/productions/freedom-riders.
• King's English Bookshop has compiled a most compelling list of "must read" books about the civil rights movement, https://www.kingsenglish.com/event/freedom-riders-partnership-kued

• The Center for Documentary Arts is curating "This Light of Ours: Activist Photographers of the Civil Rights Movement," a photographic exhibit featuring the works of photographers who covered the civil rights demonstrations of the 50's and 60's. The exhibit will be presented at the Leonardo August 2011 through Fall of 2011
• Utah Education Network hosts "TwHistory." After weeks of research, students from the Open High School of Utah will develop personas of historical figures and re-tell historic moments from the civil rights movement using Twitter. The creative, virtual reenactment tweets will broadcast in real-time beginning Thursday, May 5 and can be followed on Twitter @ freedomriders61. For more information about TwHistory and other educational materials on Freedom Riders visit UEN's Educator Resource Page at www.uen.org/freedomrides

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