RICHMOND, Va. — A fundraiser this Sunday at the Black History Museum will support the production of a movie about The Richmond 34, a group of students who took a stand against racial segregation more than six decades ago.
The 34 students from Virginia Union University students challenged segregation by staging a sit-in at a whites-only lunch counter at Thalhimer's department store on Feb. 22, 1960.
“They got tired of segregation, discrimination, gentrification, they got tired of it, so they decided to go down and do something about it,” Rev. Dr. Linnard Keith Harris, who wants to bring their story to a wider audience through, “Richmond 34 – A Silent Victory,” a docudrama about the students and their supporters.
The students were arrested for their non-violent protest, marking a pivotal moment in civil rights history.
“Oh God, it is very important, and I'll get emotional," Harris said. "It's so important because realistically, no one knows who these people are.”
The project was inspired by Pastor Vincent Scott Bray, whose father was one of the original Richmond 34 and one of the first to be arrested.
“It's over 200 people that were there but 34 sat there and decided they were not going to move until the police came and locked them up,” Harris said.
WATCH: New film honors The Richmond 34: 'The world needs to know who these people were'
In his research, Harris recalled a powerful conversation with one of the Richmond 34, who spoke about a bystander’s reaction during the sit-in.
“This old man tried to spit on me,” she said, recounting her feelings about the incident. “I hated it. I hated them. But at the time we had to do what we had to do.”
The Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia has played a crucial role in supporting the production.
Andrea Wright, the museum's director of advancement and strategic initiatives, emphasized the significance of the story.
“When we talk about resilience, when we talk about courage, when we talk about perseverance, this is one of those stories that encapsulates all of that,” Wright said.
To help bring “Richmond 34 – The Silent Victory” to fruition, a fundraiser will be held on Sunday, March 23 at 2 p.m. at the museum.
The event will include speakers such as Chief Warrant Officer 5 Phillip Brashear, the son of Master Diver Carl Brashear and Grammy-nominated artist James Saxsmo Gates.
Guests will have the opportunity to view the movie trailer. Tickets are available on Eventbrite.
Wright noted that museum visitors are eager to support the film and remember this important time in history.
“So making that connection to what took place and just recognizing and making that connection to say, because of what they did that silent victory, that was a part of what was happening so that I'm able to do what I can do today,” she said.
The Richmond 34 is a permanent exhibit at the Black History Museum and Cultural Center. Click here for more information.
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