- Baptist Press - https://www.baptistpress.com -

Emmy-nominated documentary to be featured at conference

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)–A panel of professional journalists and educators at the 2002 Baptist Press Student Journalism Conference will discuss the role of African American churches in the civil rights movement following a special viewing of “We Shall Not be Moved.”

Produced by the North American Mission Board’s FamilyNet Television network, the documentary highlights the central role the African American church played during the civil rights movement. It focuses on several key churches in the movement, including interviews with pastors, activists, church members and others. The emphasis is spiritual as well as historical, investigating the role their Christian faith played in their involvement.

The documentary was nominated for “Outstanding Individual Achievement in a Craft: Direction” in the News and Documentary Emmy Awards. The category includes all nationally broadcast documentaries, with other nominees including three that aired on PBS and one each airing on CNN, HBO and CNBC.

“Here’s a huge historical event, but the tremendous role of the church rarely gets reported,” said Bernie Hargis, who produced, wrote and directed the documentary. “Everybody that we interviewed is saying the church is the movement. If it hadn’t been for the church there would be no movement.”

The panel will be hosted by Michael Laney, chair of the department of communication at Lee University in Cleveland, Tenn. Laney, a retired U.S. Army major, has been a member of the Lee faculty since 1995 and was listed in Who’s Who Among African-Americans for 2000. Laney received the Lee University Excellence in Teaching Award in 1999 and was named to Who’s Who Among American Teachers for 2000.
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