All Souls Church at 399 Main St. in Greenfield.

All Souls Church at 399 Main St. in Greenfield.
STAFF FILE PHOTO/PAUL FRANZ


GREENFIELD — All Souls Church is participating in the statewide Spirit of Reparations Film Series, hosting a screening of “The Cost of Inheritance” on Sunday.

Residents are invited to the church at 399 Main St. from 5 to 9 p.m. Doors open at 4:45 p.m and there will be a hot meal prepared by Stone Soup Café, followed by a panel discussion with David Ragland of George Mason University, Unitarian Universalist for a Just Economic Community member Carl McCargo and grassroots activist Sistah Patt Gunn.

“The Cost of Inheritance” is a documentary originally shown on PBS. It builds on key issues of diversity and democracy as well as slavery, its aftermath and socioeconomic indicators while bringing real people and their family histories into the reparations debate. Personal stories, expert interviews and archival materials are underscored by music that weaves a narrative around the reparations issue today.

“I think reparations and our whole history of racial injustice, I think it’s really something that needs to be dealt with,” said Molly Chambers, who sits on All Souls Church’s Social Justice Committee. “Racial injustice throughout our history, there needs to be a response to that.”

She added that injustice has continued well after slavery, with Black Codes, Jim Crow laws and discrimination in housing programs.

Parishioner Jeanne Hall said she and her husband, Richard Hall, will attend.

“It’s been a conversation that has been going on around the country and folks here just feel that something really needs to be done,” she said. “Now, whether it will be done, that is a whole other story, but at least the conversation is being brought up.”

Hall said reparations can come in many forms and it is important for a discussion to be held.

“We will see what happens,” she said.

There is no charge for this event but donations are welcome. Registration is not required, but it is encouraged as seating is limited. People can register at tinyurl.com/GreenfieldScreening.

Also part of the Spirit of Reparations Film Series is a screening of “Acts of Reparation” on Saturday, Dec. 7, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Unitarian Society of Northampton and Florence, located at 220 Main St. in Northampton.

Reach Domenic Poli at: dpoli@recorder.com or 413-930-4120.

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