Tractivists,
Until last year, I thought Mardi Gras was just about getting drunk at a crazy parade and catching as many beads as you can. Turns out, there’s a lot more to it for people engaged in Mardi Gras culture — balls, mystic societies, coronations, and more.
Unfortunately, as is too frequently true when you dig into the history of Southern culture, there’s an underbelly of harsh racial and class divides. The city of Mobile, Alabama, has been celebrating Mardi Gras since 1703, longer than anywhere else in the country (including New Orleans). More than 300 years later, the celebration is still very much divided along lines of black and white. A documentary film made by a member of one of Mobile’s old families calls it “the last stronghold of segregation.”
What: Film screening of “The Order of Myths”
When: Fri, Feb. 19th, 7pm
Where: Traction HQ (1018 Broad St.)
RSVPs appreciated: mardi[at]getTraction[dot]org
When: Fri, Feb. 19th, 7pm
Where: Traction HQ (1018 Broad St.)
RSVPs appreciated: mardi[at]getTraction[dot]org
I first saw this film last year in Mobile itself, while on a road trip through the South. Some of you may have seen it at Full Frame a couple years ago. I’m looking forward to sharing it with more folks, and doing some thinking about the places in our lives that are still strongholds of segregation.
Luke Hirst
Pancake Day celebrator, first-time Lent observer, Tractivist
p.s. Upcoming events:
2/19, Fri: Mardi Gras movie mardi@getTraction.org
2/22, Mon: freezer party foodshare event (email coming soon) freezer@getTraction.org
2/27, Sat: Historic Thousands on Jones St. aka HK on J (resched. to 2/27 due to snow) hkonj@getTraction.org
plus conversation circles on race and a trip to the brand new Civil Rights Museum in Greensboro!
2/19, Fri: Mardi Gras movie mardi@getTraction.org
2/22, Mon: freezer party foodshare event (email coming soon) freezer@getTraction.org
2/27, Sat: Historic Thousands on Jones St. aka HK on J (resched. to 2/27 due to snow) hkonj@getTraction.org
plus conversation circles on race and a trip to the brand new Civil Rights Museum in Greensboro!