“North Town: Heritage of a Black community” (Mesa, AZ) film

by Carolyn Classen, blogger

SATURDAY, MARCH 16 AT 2:00PM

GENERAL ADMISSION: $5

PASSES NOT ACCEPTED

Featuring a post-film discussion with director Bruce Nelson!

All proceeds from this screening will be donated to a local nonprofit organization, TBA.

“North Town explores the once segregated black community in Mesa, Arizona from the early 1900s to the 1980s. North Town has since become known as Washington–Escobedo Park Neighborhood. Mesa, Arizona is the home of the Mesa Mormon Temple, Chicago Cubs Spring Training Camp, thriving Citrus Groves, and at one time, Mesa was cotton capital of Arizona (the leading producer of cotton worldwide), a distinction which was celebrated each year with the King of Kotton Karnival Parade. The documentary explores this small community and visits with some of the residents, past and present, showcasing their experiences and connections to the national Civil Rights Movement, professional sports, politics, churches, and racism in Mesa, Arizona and America in general. (Dir. by Bruce Nelson, 2011, USA, 61 mins., Not Rated)

Bruce Nelson is an independent art exhibit curator, documentary filmmaker and published author. His work as a curator of museum exhibitions and documentarian focuses heavily on his experience of living in the once segregated Washington Escobedo neighborhood in Mesa, AZ. In addition to North Town, some of his other award-winning documentaries include Nile Theater: An Oasis in the Desert and Gospel Radio Man.

Unapologetically Black is a film and education series co-presented by the YWCA’s Center for Gender & Racial Justice and The Loft Cinema’s Black Experience Film Series.”