Ohio Humanities’ documentary, the Lincoln School Story will be screening at the Athena Cinema!

In partnership with the Mount Zion Black Cultural Center, WOUB Public Media is screening the new documentary called THE LINCOLN SCHOOL STORY as part of the kick-off event for Berry Day Week in Athens on May 20 at 5:30 p.m. at the Athena. The production, created by Ohio Humanities and distributed by WOSU Public Media in Columbus, follows a group of Black mothers in Southwest Ohio as they heroically fight for school desegregation.

“There couldn’t be a more perfect film for the opening celebration honoring the Berrys,” said Mount Zion President Ada-Woodson Adams.  Edward “Ed” and Martha “Mattie” Berry were the owners of the once world-famous Berry Hotel on Court Street. May 23, the day in 2004 when a historical landmark was installed at the former site of the hotel, is now known as Berry Day in Athens and the Mount Zion Preservation Society celebrates the Berrys all week.

“Showing this film at the same time we are honoring the story of the Berrys and African American people in Appalachia and Athens County makes perfect sense,” said David Descutner, an Athens resident who serves on the Ohio Humanities Board and was a financial supporter of the project.

If you want to read more about this story, visit our Lincoln School Story page.

If you’re curious about other Ohio stories, check out our grant page. Tune in to other events on our calendar, too!