Several Fox Valley organizations will host free public screenings of a new documentary film, The Exchange In White America: Kaukauna & King 50 Years Later, produced and directed by Milwaukee journalist Joanne Williams, from Monday Feb. 6 through Saturday Feb. 11, 2023.
The film tells the true story of an exchange program between Black and White high school students in Wisconsin from Rufus King High School in Milwaukee and Kaukauna High School in the Fox Valley in 1966 as the country grappled with meanings of equality during the Civil Rights Movement. Black and White students lived in each other’s homes, attended classes in each other’s schools, and performed Martin Duberman’s groundbreaking and controversial play, In White America.
Their experiences and histories are captured in this documentary, with hopes that events from 1966 will inspire healthy community conversations about race relations in the past and continuing challenges in our present day. “This is a springboard for some really difficult conversations,” says Williams.
Northeast WI partners are excited to help bring this little-known piece of history to light by hosting local screenings of the film during Black History Month. Screenings will be followed by question and answer sessions with Williams, and select screenings will also feature the African Heritage Inc. and History Museum at the Castle’s “A Stone of Hope: Black Experiences in the Fox Cities” traveling museum. All screenings are free and open to the public.
Screenings:
• Kaukauna High School Auditorium, Monday, Feb. 6, 6:30-8:00 pm
• Lawrence University Warch Campus Center Cinema, Tuesday, Feb. 7, 5:00-8:00 p.m.
• UW-Green Bay University Union, Tuesday, Feb. 7 – Thursday Feb. 9, multiple screenings culminating in a Lunch and Learn with Williams Feb. 9 12:30-2:00 pm (requires registration)
• Fox Cities Performing Arts Center Kimberly-Clark Theater, Wednesday, Feb. 8, 6:30-8:30 pm
• UW Oshkosh Sage Hall 1210, Thursday, Feb. 9, 6:30-8:00 pm
• African Heritage Inc. Hosts the 24th Annual Fox Cities Black History Program at Fox Valley Technical College, Saturday, Feb. 11, 11:00 am – 2:00 pm
Sponsors of the screenings include: TDS Telecommunications, Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region, Greater Green Bay Community Foundation, Oshkosh Area Community Foundation, and Bank of Kaukauna.
The film premiered at the Milwaukee film festival in May of 2022 and has earned several awards on the film festival circuit since then including: Best True Story – NEWSFest Film Festival, Best Documentary Film – Mesa Film Festival, Audience Choice Award – Hollywood International Diversity Film Festival, Honorable Mention – Hollywood New Directors Film Festival.
Learn more at https://www.theexchange50.com/events
