Appell Center For The Performing Arts Commemorates Black History Month With Free Film Series
Learn more about the lineup here!
By: Stephi Wild Jan. 27, 2025
The Appell Center will commemorate Black History Month in February. The venue has collaborated with prominent York County community members to curate an exclusive film series. Each feature portrays the struggles, triumphs and challenges faced by these historical individuals and in significant periods of time. They are stories that simply must be told and retold… stories that continue to influence those that experience them.
The Piano Lesson (2/2) – selected by the York Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Inc. Arts & Letters Committee
Red Tails (Sun, 2/16) – selected by Samantha Dorm
Poetic Justice (Fri, 2/21) – selected by Mica Wallace
Each film screening will include remarks by its curator, detailing why they think the movie should be shared with the York community, and how it has significantly impacted their lives.
The Appell Center is committed to featuring not only prominent and local artists on our stages, but the essential stories of history on our screens, “stated Todd Fogdall, Appell Center President & CEO. “We are honored to work with these valuable partners to bring amazing stories to the whole community.”
THE PIANO LESSON (2024)
Set in 1936 Pittsburgh during the aftermath of the Great Depression, this drama based on August Wilson's Pulitzer Prize-winning play follows the lives of the Charles family in the Doaker Charles household and an heirloom– the family piano– that documents the family history through carvings made by their enslaved ancestor. The film brings each viewer into the brewing battle over the fate of the piano which threatens to tear the family apart.
The 2024 film stars John David Washington, Danielle Deadwyler, Ray Fisher, Erykah Badu, Samuel L. Jackson, and many others.
Curator: York Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta, Inc. Arts & Letters Committee
York Alumnae Chapter Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. is an organization of college educated women committed to the constructive development of its members to public service with a primary focus on the Black community. The Chapter is committed to the active engagement of its members to serve the residents of York and Adams counties through programs focused on political awareness, educational development, and physical and mental health.
RED TAILS (2012)
A breathtaking tribute to the unsung heroes who rose above extraordinary challenges and ultimately soared into history.
Italy, 1944: As the war takes its toll on Allied forces in Europe, a squadron of black pilots known as the Tuskegee Airmen are finally given the chance to prove themselves in the sky…even as they battle discrimination on the ground.
Based on John B. Holway's book, Red Tails, Black Wings: The Men of America's Black Air Force, the film stars Cuba Gooding Jr., Terrence Howard, David Oyelowo, Bryan Cranston, Michael B. Jordan, Method Man and many others.
Join Samantha in honoring members of the Tuskegee Airmen, including Lloyd Arthur Carter, interred in Lebanon Cemetery in York.
Curator: Samantha L. Dorm is a York native and local historian. She is an active member and participant in the Pennsylvania Hallowed Grounds Network, the Black Cemetery Network, consults with the National Cemetery Administration to promote the care of African American Veterans in private cemeteries. Dorm is an active contributor to the Veterans Legacy Program, highlighting the untold accomplishments of veterans, and a member of the Board of the York County History Center. Her work has been featured on WITF, CBS Sunday Morning with Martha Teichner, USA Today, and in several written works.
POETIC JUSTICE (1993)
Superstar Janet Jackson makes her stunning film debut in a street-smart love story from director John Singleton (Boyz N the Hood).
A mismatched pair pushed together on a road trip from South Central L.A. to Oakland, Justice (Jackson) and Lucky (Tupac Shakur) have only one thing in common: they can't stand each other. But as their friends Lesha and Chicago (Regina King and Joe Torry) fight and make up in the back of the van, Justice and Lucky find themselves reluctantly drawn together. After a surprising detour toward romance, the two travelers are confronted once again by the shocking violence they thought they'd left behind.
Featuring the music of Naughty by Nature and Tony! Toni! Tone! and the poetry of Maya Angelou, Poetic Justice is every bit as intense, original and unforgettable as Boyz N the Hood.
Curator: Mica Wallace is the proud owner of Insatiable Melanin, a custom print apparel company. Through the business Mica has hosted a variety of community engagement projects/events geared towards social advocacy for the Black community. The main focus is to provide empowering tools and resources like “Affirmation Art Classes” to better mental and emotional health.
On why Mica selected Poetic Justice. “I picked this movie because it is such a relevant movie in terms of social issues we face that cause us a great deal of turmoil. It's a great example of how black people have always found peace of mind and purpose in art. It is such a strong representation of a normal day dealing with things in and beyond our control. Yet, all the while trying to find love and support. Even more so, it's the creativity and artistry within our culture that is so powerful. It's understanding the ability to create poetry and art while dealing with some real tough issues.”
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