Nov

22 2021

to
Nov

28 2021

Cultural Arts Film Series: Sammy Davis Jr. I've Gotta Be Me

 

Virtual

Contact Susan Skalka
susans@jccnh.org

$ Cost $ 10.00

Register in advance.

Sammy Davis, Jr.: I’ve Gotta Be Me is the first major film documentary to examine Davis’ vast talent and his journey for identity through the shifting tides of civil rights and racial progress during 20th-century America.

Sammy Davis, Jr. had the kind of career that was indisputably legendary, so vast and multi-faceted that it was dizzying in its scope and scale. And yet, his life was complex, complicated and contradictory. Davis strove to achieve the American Dream in a time of racial prejudice and shifting political territory. He was the veteran of increasingly outdated show business traditions trying to stay relevant; he frequently found himself bracketed by the bigotry of white America and the distaste of black America; he was the most public black figure to embrace Judaism, thereby yoking his identity to another persecuted minority.

Featuring new interviews with such luminaries as Billy Crystal, Norman Lear, Jerry Lewis, Whoopi Goldberg and Kim Novak, with never-before-seen photographs from Davis’ vast personal collection and excerpts from his electric performances in television, film and concert, Sammy Davis, Jr.: I’ve Gotta Be Me explores the life and art of a uniquely gifted entertainer whose trajectory blazed across the major flashpoints of American society from the Depression through the 1980s.

Please note that all events offered by the Jewish Federation, Foundation, and JCC of Greater New Haven may include photography. Photos taken at events may be used in our social media, websites, and in print materials to support the objectives of our organizations and to promote future events.  We respect our patrons' privacy. If you do not wish to be photographed, please let us know at the event registration and welcome desk.

 

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