Program to Examine African-American Archeology

PETIT JEAN MOUNTAIN, Ark. — Dr. Jamie Brandon, research station archeologist for the Arkansas Archeological Survey and assistant professor of anthropology at Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia, will be the guest speaker at an archeology film and lecture event on Thursday, Feb. 11, beginning at 7 p.m. The program will take place at Winthrop Rockefeller Institute atop Petit Jean Mountain.

The film of the evening, The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman (1974), stars Cicely Tyson and chronicles the fictional life story of Jane Pittman, a black woman born into slavery in the American South at the end of the Civil War. The film culminates with her joining the American civil rights movement in 1962 at age 110. This made-for-TV movie won eight Primetime Emmys, including Outstanding Lead Actress in a Television Movie, making Tyson the first black actress to receive this award.

Dr. Brandon will lead the discussion following the film with accounts of his extensive work in African-American archeology. Among his current research interests are historic and prehistoric archeology of the southeastern U.S., race construction, and representation and power relations in the American South.

The film and Brandon’s lecture are part of “Picture the Past,” a cooperative venture between the Rockefeller Institute and the Arkansas Archeological Survey. Now in its third year, the program aims to broaden the public’s interest in archeology through films and guest speakers. Picture the Past is generally held the second Thursday of every other month at 7 p.m. and is free and open to the public.

A North American archeology study guide CD is also available at no charge to Picture the Past participants. This study guide is made possible in part by a grant from the Arkansas Humanities Council and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

For those who would like dinner before the event, the Rockefeller Institute’s River Rock Grill will open for dinner at 5 p.m. Call (501) 727-5435 for reservations.

Winthrop Rockefeller Institute of the University of Arkansas System is an educational institute and conference center. Committed to acting as a catalyst, its vision involves combining the legacy and ideas of Gov. Winthrop Rockefeller with the resources and expertise of the state’s largest university system. Its mission is to develop diverse programs that nurture ideas, policies and activities to make life better in Arkansas.

The Rockefeller Institute accomplishes its mission by offering a variety of workshops, seminars, public lectures, conferences and special events. Program areas include arts and humanities, agriculture and environment, economic development, and policy and public affairs. To learn more, call (501) 727-5435, visit the Web site at www.uawri.org, or stay connected on Twitter and Facebook.