On Tuesday, February 5, Professor Ava Greenwell (Medill faculty, Communications Residential College fellow) previewed her documentary “Mission Possible: Chicago’s Free South Africa Movement” in partnership with the Office of Residential Academic Initiatives. This was the first in a series of residential programs organized around the themes of race and justice to mark Black History Month. The event, including a special reception for attendees, was made possible by the W. Keren and Robert Vishny Endowed Fund, which promotes student and faculty engagement to enhance the residential experience.
For the special sneak peek, the Shepard Engagement Center was transformed into a movie theater for Northwestern students, faculty, and staff. Professor Charles Whitaker (Medill Interim Dean, Communications Residential College Associate Chair) warmly introduced Greenwell as a professional, scholar, and colleague. Greenwell explained that the documentary has been a work-in-progress since 2014, when she went to South Africa as part of the Medill Journalism Residency Program. She then presented a 20-minute rough cut of her documentary about Chicago’s involvement in anti-apartheid activism to the audience of about 30 guests.
Greenwell’s project, aided by student researchers from Communications Residential College funded through the Undergraduate Research Assistant Program, takes a unique perspective on a recent moment in international and local history. She both connects anti-apartheid activism to Chicago and highlights Northwestern University’s own involvement in the movement from 1980 to 1994. Her goal is to complete the hour-long documentary by 2020 and submit it to film festivals.
Emma Evans, a second-year Medill student and Allison resident, attended in order to learn more about the documentary’s subject. “I didn’t know Chicago was a part of anti-apartheid in such a big way, but I’m learning over time since being here that Chicago is the city of action and protest,” said Evans, who also appreciated the opportunity to connect further with Professor Greenwell. Evans first heard about the documentary from Greenwell at a dinner for the National Association for Black Journalists. “You don’t hear a lot about the global work that faculty are doing,” she said. “Seeing research in a form of documentary is a really refreshing and cool way to look at it.”
After the screening, Greenwell invited both questions and feedback. She plans to conduct additional interviews during her time in South Africa over the next few weeks. While the documentary is continuing to grow and show the global impact of local activism, it has already had an effect on students. Reflecting on the evening, Evans remarked, “Going to events like this challenges you to leave the everyday Northwestern experience.” She found it “motivating for my own activism because a lot of the documentary was Northwestern-focused. This little screening was a good visual of how students on this campus and around Chicago organized around things that weren’t happening here. If they can do that, we can too,” she said.
In the weeks ahead, two off-campus excursions will offer students further opportunities to engage with African-American history and culture. Along with an evening at Northlight Theatre’s production of Nina Simone: Four Women, there will be an outing to see a performance of the renowned Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre in Chicago.