Journey: 450 Years of African American History showing at Sunrise Theatre

Derek Boyd Hankerson of Hankerson Henry Productions announces an evening of Guest Speakers followed by the film showing of Journey:  450 Years of African American History on Thursday, May 2, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Sunrise Theater in Fort Pierce.  Sunrise Theatre concession will be available.

In addition to Hankerson, presenters include Melanie Hayling George, a Fort Pierce native, daughter of Charlie Hayling, and niece of Dr. Robert Hayling.  Dr. Hayling was the advisor to the NAACP during the Civil Rights movements in Florida. Former Fort Pierce Florida State Representative and State Farm business owner, Larry Lee, will also be a presenter.

Hankerson, whose family hails from St. Augustine, is a filmmaker, social scientist, and Florida Atlantic University Faculty Member. His presentation will show how the film, the city of Fort Pierce, the Hayling’s family, and his own family’s genealogy connect to Florida, especially St. Augustine, and the Civil Rights Movement.

Mr. Hankerson’s great aunt was the Dean of Girls at Florida Memorial College in St. Augustine and built her 12 room Victorian home on Bridge Street in 1930.  She shared her knowledge and wealth of history with Hankerson, her great nephew, who also co-produced a 30-minute documentary on St. Augustine’s role in the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.

When asked about the “450 Years” film, Mr. Hankerson stated, “I feel this film is one of my greatest works on the accurate account of how and why Former President Lyndon Baines Johnson signed the civil rights act after seeing the events that occurred in St. Augustine led by Dr. Martin Luther King, Ambassador Andrew Young, Dr. Robert Hayling, and others.”

Tickets will be available on or after April 10, 2024.  They can be purchased online for $40 at the Sunrise Theatre or at the door.

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