The History Department honors James Earl Jones with Historical Movie Night

On Wednesday, October 2nd, it took place History Department hosted a historical movie night at Henderson 112. The film “Paul Robeson” is a one-man stage performance by the late actor James Earl Jones. In the performance, James Earl Jones portrayed the American musician, actor and civil rights activist Paul Robeson.

Tom Prasch, history department chair and Phi Alpha Theta faculty sponsor, selected this film because he wanted students to learn about Robeson’s life and career and to honor Jones by showing students his life on stage shows.

“James Earl Jones [died] A few weeks ago I just thought we needed to do something. He is such an important figure in American film and stage. So I looked around and dug that up,” Prasch said. “Robeson has had a really interesting career and it’s a chance to see James Earl Jones in his stage persona, so I thought it would be a good thing.”

History major Joscelyn Powell explained what a historical movie night typically looks like.

“It’s these really nice evenings… usually themed around what’s happening at school or in politics. “James Earl Jones died a month ago, and we actually got to see a movie that he did as a one-man show tonight, and it was a nice memory of him,” Powell said.

Rebecca Bearman, a freshman history and international business major, shared what she learned from the film during the event.

“…it was basically Paul Robeson’s whole life and career. How he was a civil rights activist, how he started his college as the first black man there, the first black man on his football team, the adversity he faced and then how he moved on,” Bearman said.

The “Historical Film Evening” events are open to anyone who would like to learn something about the events of the past through film.

Edited by Stuti Khadka and Jeremy Ford