Civil Rights Documentary Cinema and the 1960s: Transatlantic Conversations on History, Race and Rights Conference

On May 24 to 26, 2016, Dr. Clayborne Carson served as a speaker for the “Civil Rights Documentary Cinema and the 1960s: Transatlantic Conversations on History, Race and Rights” conference held at the British Academy in London. This conference—held in memory of American social activist, politician and leader in the civil rights movement Julian Bond (1940-2015)—brought together documentary filmmakers, activists, and film, history and media scholars. It focused on films based in and inspired by civil rights history to promote a transatlantic exchange of ideas around film production, activism, and historical research in the making of civil rights cinema.

Over the course of the conference, Dr. Carson participated in three different panels: “The Role of Academic Consultant and Researcher,” “The Making of Martin Luther King and The March on Washington,” and “Being There and Looking Back.” He spoke on his roles as an historian of Dr. King and the African American struggle for freedom, as well as historical advisor for many documentary films, including the famed Eyes On The Prize series.