Documentary Looks At ‘Shared Legacies’ Between African Americans And Jewish Americans

Lisa Weitzman, left, and Shari Rodgers, right, spoke with “City Lights” about their film “Shared Legacies: the African-American Jewish Civil Rights Alliance,” which will have its world premiere on Monday at the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival.

Summer Evans

The 2020 Atlanta Jewish Film Festival begins Monday evening with the world premiere of “Shared Legacies: the African American Jewish Civil Rights Alliance.

The documentary looks at the modern-day alliance between African Americans and Jewish Americans. It begins with the founding of the NAACP in 1909 and showcases the bigotry and segregation that both groups have faced. There are narrations and testimonies from Holocaust survivors, leaders, advocates, and prominent Atlantans such as U.S. Rep. John Lewis, Ambassador Andrew Young, Rabbi Alvin Sugarman, Rabbi Peter S. Berg, members of the King family, and many others.

The film’s director Shari Rodgers and executive producer Lisa Weitzman, joined “City Lights” host Lois Reitzes to discuss the film.

The documentary will open the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival at Cobb Energy Centre Monday at 7:30 p.m.