Posted by DEAN SKIP RUTHERFORD – The HBO documentary “Little Rock Central High: 50 Years Later” premiered Tuesday night at the Kennedy School on the Harvard campus followed by a panel discussion. I was privilged to be among the panelists. The film, produced by Brent and Craig Renaud of Little Rock, will air on HBO on the evening of Sept. 25.
Minnijean Brown Trickey and the Brothers Renaud along with noted Harvard Professor Henry “Skip” Gates and Arkansas native and Harvard consultant David Evans were also panelists. Professor Gates presented Minnijean with the W.E.B. DuBois medal, one of Harvard’s highest awards.
Josh Manning, a Lyon College graduate from Crawfordsville, Ark., and a second-year Kennedy School student was in the audience.
The film sparked great debate and discussion that could have extended for several hours. I’ll be interested in getting Arkansas’s reaction following its Sept. 25 showing.
It was an honor being part of this event. It also made me proud of the Clinton School, because our public program/distinguished lecture series can hold its own with the best–which is, of course, Harvard. I was also able to meet some prospective Clinton School students. We are attracting the best and brightest students from Arkansas and bringing the best and brightest to Arkansas.