Mercer University’s King Center for Southern Studies is set to begin a documentary film series focusing on the American South. The series will open with a screening of “Acts of Reparation” on Friday, Sept. 19 at 7 p.m. at The Douglass Theatre in Macon, Georgia. A Q&A session with the filmmakers will follow the screening.
“Acts of Reparation” explores the family histories of two filmmakers—one Black and one white—as they travel to their ancestral homes in Penfield and Monroe, Louisiana. The film examines what reparations mean for each individual, featuring personal moments from kitchen tables to cemeteries and diaries. Through these journeys, the filmmakers aim to reclaim their roots and highlight how small acts can bring about significant change.
“The King Center is proud to launch a new project that examines the American South through documentary filmmaking,” said Dr. Douglas E. Thompson, Director of the Spencer B. King, Jr. Center for Southern Studies. “The award-winning filmmakers of ‘Acts of Reparation’ have plumbed the deep nuances of racism in American history, but they turn to their own families’ stories to ask bigger questions about what racial reconciliation might look like.”
The event continues on Saturday, Sept. 20 with Family History Day, organized in partnership with the Washington Memorial Library’s Genealogy & History room. This free event aims to help participants explore ancestral research and preservation practices as well as understand the importance of shared stories for healing and historical repair. Activities include workshops on Black history family research, preservation of family documents and photos, building family trees, exploring Penfield Cemetery, and a sharing circle for families.
The Spencer B. King Jr. Center for Southern Studies at Mercer University works to foster critical discussions about Southern identity by offering courses and events designed primarily for undergraduate students. It remains unique as the only center in the United States dedicated solely to undergraduate education on Southern studies and receives support from private donors along with a National Endowment for the Humanities Challenge Grant.
