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The Strange Demise of Jim Crow

Still image from The Strange Demise of Jim Crow documentary
Screen capture from The Strange Demise of Jim Crow
The film producer of The Strange Demise of Jim Crow will be at the Carver Museum tonight to screen the documentary and talk about integration in Texas.

Texas' shameful, racist past might seem like ancient history to some people, but it was only a generation ago that it was illegal for a white person to marry an African-American.

The demise of such Jim Crow laws are the hot topic tonight at East Austin's George Washington Carver Museum and Cultural Center. As part of their Texas Black History Series, the museum is screening "The Strange Demise of Jim Crow", a documentary by Thomas Cole. The film maker will hang around after the screening for a Q&A and a talk about integration in Texas.

California Newsreel says the documentary examines the less dramatic ways in which racist laws were defeated.

"The Strange Demise of Jim Crow" reveals for the first time on film how many Southern cities were desegregated in a quieter, almost stealthy fashion with behind-the-scenes negotiations, secret deals and controversial news black-outs. It makes visible a fascinating case-study of how urban power is really wielded.

The event is free and open to the public. It runs tonight from 6 pm - 9 pm. For more information and to RSVP, you can call 512-974-4926.

Here's a trailer for the movie.

Nathan Bernier is the transportation reporter at KUT. He covers the big projects that are reshaping how we get around Austin, like the I-35 overhaul, the airport's rapid growth and the multibillion dollar transit expansion Project Connect. He also focuses on the daily changes that affect how we walk, bike and drive around the city. Got a tip? Email him at nbernier@kut.org. Follow him on Twitter @KUTnathan.