Black History Month

Mrs. Lois Pot-Mothershed and her captive audience at the Movies, Amsterdam

Roads to Memphis documentary being shown

U.S. Black History Night at the Movies
The U.S. Consulate General, in coordination with the U.S. Embassy in The Hague and Amsterdam University College, celebrated Black History Month with a presentation by civil rights activist Lois Pot-Mothershed and a viewing of the PBS documentary, Roads to Memphis.  Students from Universities throughout the Netherlands were on hand.  Acting Consul General, Stuart Wilson, kicked off the event with opening remarks about the Civil Rights Movement and presented the evening’s theme of  “Democracy, Justice and Hope.”  This idea accurately related to the experiences of Lois Pot-Mothershed and the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Lois Pot-Mothershed and her family had a very active role in the Civil Rights Movement.  Her sister, Thelma, was one of the brave “Little Rock Nine,” who were the first to integrate into the public school system in Arkansas.  Lois herself was one of the first African American students to attend a traditionally white university and her other sister, Grace, was one of the first African Americans to live on a university campus.   Lois Pot-Mothershed spoke about the hardships and adversity she and her family went through while trying to gain equality for Blacks.  Her story was one of great perseverance and inspiration.

The documentary Roads to Memphis was the perfect follow up to Lois Pot-Mothershed’s account.  The film offered a different prospective on the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as it followed the movements of his killer, James Earl Ray, in the months leading up to the shooting.
The students thoroughly enjoyed the event, learning more about the Civil Rights Movement and American culture.  The aim of the U.S. Consulate General was to recognize the extraordinary achievements of African Americans and to appreciate their role in shaping America’s history.  The night’s message of Democracy, Justice and Hope further promoted the appreciation of American diversity and pluralism in the context of the African-American experience.