Afro-American Heritage Center - Rock Island, IL

October 1, 2011

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Afro-American Heritage Center Announces Screening of Award Winning Documentary - AGAINST ALL THE ODDS

Members of the Afro-American Heritage Center have regularly hosted documentary screenings at the local libraries, which would include a group discussion of the chosen topic following the screening. Past topics have included Slavery, the Jim Crow Era and the Civil Rights Movement of the 20^th Century.

Now AAHC has planned the Quad Cities premier of the film AGAINST ALL THE ODDS – A Documentary of East St. Louis, Illinois, (www.againstalltheodds.com) by Sandra Pfeifer a filmmaker from Southern Illinois. 

AGAINST ALL THE ODDS is a documentary about the all-Afro‑American community of East St. Louis, Illinois’ history, courage, and spirit. Ms. Pfeifer says, “AGAINST ALL THE ODDS uses traditional Jazz and Blues recordings along with striking imagery to tell the story of a unique city where the African-American population courageously survived some of America’s most gruesome historical events. Their heroic grassroots community efforts continue today against almost insurmountable odds.”  The documentary also includes a cameo appearance of Senator Dick Durbin, a native of East St. Louis, Illinois.

Awards for the work include the Semi-Finalist of the 2010 Moondance International Film Festival, the Best Feature Documentary of the 2010 Route 66 Film Festival, 2010 Official Selection of the Mid Atlantic Black Film Festival and the 2011 Official Selection of the San Diego Black Film Festival.

This screening is Saturday October 22, 2011 at 6:30 p.m. at the Figge Art Museum located Downtown Davenport, Iowa. Entrance for the screening is located at the corner of Main Street and River Drive. Street and ramp parking is available near this entrance.  The door opens at 6 p.m. with the screening beginning at approximately 6:30. A Q&A session will take place with Ms. Pfeifer immediately following the film.