BELLOWS FALLS, Vt. – The third Monday in January is designated as Martin Luther King Jr. Day. This year, the recognition falls on what would have been Dr. King’s 95th birthday.
The day was established as a result of his assassination on April 4, 1968, to recognize his contributions to the Civil Rights Movement. Dr. King was a Baptist minister who believed that a platform of nonviolence was the most effective way to address racial segregation, and first gained national attention during the Montgomery, Ala., bus boycott in 1955.
He also spearheaded the March on Washington in 1963, eventually leading in 1964 to passage of the Civil Rights Act and receipt of the Nobel Price for Peace.
The Civil Rights Movement served as a catalyst to bring attention to many social justice movements, including women’s and gay rights. In recognition of this year’s important and challenging political landscape for the LGBTQ+ community, Bellows Falls Pride will sponsor a film screening of “Selma” on Wednesday, Jan. 17, at the Bellows Falls Opera House (BFOH), located on The Square in Bellows Falls, Vt.
The historical film features a star-studded cast including David Oyelowo, Tom Wilkinson, and Tim Roth in key roles. The two-hour saga is a depiction of Dr. King’s campaign to secure equal voting rights for African Americans, culminating in the 1965 march from Selma to Mongomery, Ala., led by King and Rep. John Lewis. It was nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, and won Best Original Song for “Glory,” performed by John Legend.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m., show begins at 7 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online or at the door. A birthday recognition will be held for Dr. King, with desserts provided by the Windham Northeast Supervisory Union Farm to Table Café at Bellows Falls Union High School.
Bellows Falls Pride is an initiative of the nonprofit Rockingham Arts and Museum Project, founded in 1997. The opera house is wheelchair accessible.
Find Bellows Falls Pride on Facebook, or visit www.bellowsfallspride.com and www.bellowsfallsoperahouse.com for more information.