Arnett Doctor

In the tradition of the SRO programs featuring real-life survivors of Schindler's List and Apollo 13 comes an unforgettable lecture on the true story of racism and heroism that inspired John Singleton's eye-opening film, Rosewood.

With Rosewood's heralded release, millions of Americans finally learned of an atrocity so brutal, it barely seems possible. But it happened. In the winter of 1923, the town of Rosewood, Florida - a hard-working middle-class community of black men and women - suffered a decimating attack by an organized white mob. It was a planned assault that lasted a full week, and happened with the knowledge of both the local sheriff and the governor of Florida. And by the time it was over, the town had been burned to the ground.

Perhaps more incredibly, in spite of such unprecedented horror, the story remained buried for nearly 70 years... until a man named Arnett Doctor fought back. Arnett grew up, like most of the Rosewood descendants, with knowledge of what had happened to his family so many years ago, but seldom spoke of it. Then in 1982, a St. Petersburg reporter happened upon an early mention of the Rosewood massacre, and contacted Doctor for further detail. What resulted in an ardous yet victorious process, Doctor, who is a descendent of three Rosewood families, lead a long battle against unspoken taboos and legal obstacles to bring the story to light... and to earn some measure of justice for the survivors and their families.

Now Doctor, the film's executive consultant, brings the story of Rosewood and its modern day epilogue to life on the lecture stage. Also chronicled in the best-selling book Like Judgement Day, the Rosewood saga demonstrates both the terrible depths of racism and the strength of the human spirit, while adding new insight to the burning of African-American churches and other current atrocities. Doctor also shares the inside and equally inspiring story of how the movie came to be made.