Please join us for an incredible evening l earning about the life and work of Rock Van Winkle\, an emancipated slave that rose to become a frontier industrialist in Northwest Arkansas. \; In an a moving documentary about Rock Van Winkle\, renowned filmmaker\, J ustin Stewart brings to life the story of \;a man who carved his legac y into the foundations of a growing frontier\, only for history to forget his name. Once enslaved Aaron "Rock" Van Winkle stepped into freedom at a time when opportunity was scarce and the odds were unforgiving. Yet throug h grit\, ingenuity\, and unyielding resolve\, he rose to become one of Nor thwest Arkansas' earliest Black industrialists. This documentary paints a portrait of a region in transformation and the overlooked figure who helpe d build it. Drawing on newly uncovered records and a striking connection t o one the University of Arkansas' most cherished landmarks\, the film reve als how deeply Rock's contributions are woven into the fabric of the regio n.
\nBoth sweeping and intimate\, this story confronts the silence o f historical record. It invites viewers to question how a man so integral to the shaping of a community could vanish from its collective memory and what it means to finally bring his story into the light.
\nA fter the watch party\, Mr. Stewart will be joined by Jerry Moore\, Historian/Author/Sociologist and Dr. Christopher Huggard \, Professor of History\, Northwest Arkansas Community College fo r a panel discussion further examining Mr. Van Winkle's impact on our regi on.
\nIn collaboration with our friends at the Bento nville History Museum. and For the HeARTists NWA .
\n\nhttps://bentonvillelibrary.libnet.info/event/17218899 URL;VALUE=URI:https://bentonvillelibrary.libnet.info/event/17218899 END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR