SUNDERLAND — As part of Black History Month, the Sunderland Public Library is inviting filmmaker Craig Dudnick to speak about his film “Evanston’s Living History,” which explores residents’ fight against racial discrimination and segregation.

The program will be held on Friday, Feb. 24, at 4 p.m. over Zoom and Dudnick will discuss the film with participants over the course of an hour. Folks can view the 55-minute film on Kanopy, a streaming service free of charge for library patrons. To sign up for the event, visit sunderlandpubliclibrary.org. The event is funded by a Sunderland Cultural Council grant.

The film shares the oral histories of elders in Evanston, Illinois, who challenged the racism they faced, beginning with the murder of Anthony Crawford and the seizing of his property in South Carolina. Upon fleeing South Carolina, Crawford’s family moved to Illinois, where they continued to face discrimination, limited job opportunities and harassment. Over time, the city’s Black residents worked their way into leadership positions in Evanston, including as police chief, fire chief and mayor.

“One of the most remarkable things about this film is that there is no bitterness among the tellers of these stories, though they certainly had every reason to be bitter, given the way they were treated,” Sunderland Public Library’s Head of Adult Services Aaron Falbel said in a statement. “Their attitude of non-retaliation is reminiscent of the heroic nonviolence of King and Gandhi. These are truly exemplary people who responded to hate with truth, hard work, perseverance and love.”

During Friday’s program, Dudnick will discuss his film and how its message continues to resonate today.

“Crawford’s murder is left out of history books. I learned about it only when I started talking with members of Evanston’s African American community,” Dudnick explained in a statement. “I began to understand that their stories, past and present, can help us change our thinking about the kind of society and future we want.”

Library Director Katherine Umstot said Friday’s program will be the first of a series of films and discussions focusing on social justice topics.

“The library is also pleased to offer this event as an important contribution to Black History Month,” Umstot said in a statement. “It is an inspiring story of how a group of dedicated, committed citizens can make their own living history and control their own destiny. That is a hopeful message in the face of news stories that remind us we still have much work to do to achieve real and lasting social justice in this country.”

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