Come see Olympic Oaks: Continuing Jesse Owens’ Legacy at the Rice Library Branch of the Cleveland Public Library as part of the Cleveland International Film Festival’s FilmSlam® Road Trip!

FilmSlam® Road Trip allows students, educators, and community members to engage around topics presented in films by taking a CIFF film and special guest speakers directly into schools and public spaces. This year’s documentary film, Olympic Oaks: Continuing Jesse Owens’ Legacy, will engage audiences around the life of the Olympic athlete, including topics of systemic and structural racism faced by people of color at the time Jesse competed in the 1936 Berlin Olympics, how this impacts individuals and communities today, and how to advance toward equity. In addition, students will learn about world history and gain a deeper connection to Cleveland history through the study of an admired local champion. CIFF will share this story as a complement to the activities taking place as new saplings, grafted from the last remaining original oak tree that Jesse was gifted for his Olympic achievements at the award ceremony in Berlin, are being planted in important locations throughout Cleveland to continue to honor Jesse’s legacy. Each screening will be followed by facilitated dialogue and audience Q&A with guest speakers in the film, as well as an educational study guide for teachers to incorporate in the classroom for further engagement.

This event was funded in part by an Ohio Humanities Spark Grant.

Curious about other grants? Visit our calendar or browse our list of grantees!