Civil Rights Film Unites Campus and Community

November 11, 2019

Dr. Hazel Dukes and Marge Rogatz

The Social Science Research Institute partnered with the Town of North Hempstead to screen Defining Moments: The Civil Right Movement in North Hempstead. The full Campus Center Ballroom received welcomes from both Dr. Miriam Deitsch and Judi Bosworth, North Hempstead Town Supervisor.

Directed by documentary filmmaker Alan Ginsberg, who grew up in Great Neck, the stories focused on experiences such as housing discrimination in Roslyn, Manhasset, Port Washington, and Westbury. FSC alumna Carol Trottere worked closely with Alan Ginsberg on the film.

The 40-minute film was followed by a question and answer session with the civil rights leaders who appeared in the film: Dr. Hazel Dukes, Marge Rogatz, Bernice Sims, Reverend Edward Corley, Bernice Roberts, and Alan Reff. To find out how these activists changed history, go to https://www.mynhtv.com/civilrights.

A special guest was WWII veteran Gene Burnett, who fought racism to obtain a house in Levittown when he returned from service.

To honor their lifelong actions, those in attendance, as well as those who could not attend (Saul Weinstein, Peter Kornblum, Lee Seeman, and Jerome Davidson), were inducted into the Social Justice Distinguished Scholar Academy. The oath was read to the new inductees by FSC alumnus Messiah Gaymon.