In an exciting partnership with the Maryland Lynching Memorial Project, we are launching the 2025 film program with a virtual screening of The Barber of Little Rock. Film directors John Hoffman and Christine Turner follow Arlo Washington, a local barber, as he helps members of his community escape the hazards of banking while Black. This 2024 Oscar-nominated documentary/short asks us to consider the roles that history, institutions, racism, trust, and ingenuity have on communities and their residents.

The online screening of the 35-minute film will be followed by a conversation with special guests including: Arlo Washington, John Hoffman, Dr. Terry Anne Scott, and Amy S. Millin.

The Barber of Little Rock was nominated for the 2024 Academy Award Best Documentary/Short film and received recognition from the Heartland International Film Festival. It was an official selection at the St. Louis International Film Festival, the Woodstock Film Festival, and the Hamptons Doc Fest. In addition, it was short listed for DOC NYC and winner of the Indy Shorts International Film Festival.

Admission to the screening is free, but you must register to attend. We encourage you to make a donation to support important and meaningful programming.