XENIA — AMMAK Productions, in conjunction with Xenia High School athletics and the Xenia Rotary Club co-sponsored a screening of “The Bright Path” on Feb. 27 at the Xenia High School auditorium in celebration of Black History Month.
“The Bright Path,” the Johnny Bright story, tells the virtually unknown story of Johnny Bright, a black athlete from Fort Wayne, Indiana who emerged as one of the first black football stars in an era of racial injustice of the 1940s and 50s. A front-runner for the Heisman Trophy playing for Drake University, Bright was knocked unconscious by an intentional blow to the head in a game. The 1951 incident changed the course of Bright’s life but didn’t diminish his dreams.
“There are so many interesting and important stories to be told of black Americans being a part of our nation’s history,” said Dr. Eric Winston, founder of AMMAK Productions. “Documentaries such as these need to be seen and understood as more than Black History.”
The film was written and directed by Indianapolis filmmaker Jerald Harkness. The film has been recently purchased by CBS Sports to be nationally broadcast. The son of former Indiana Pacer Jerry Harkness, Jerald Harkness has made a name for himself creating films about sports, race and more.
Following the film, Winston moderated a Q&A session featuring Harkness and Xenia High School football coach Maurice Harden.
“Last night was a special night for our club and one of our members, Eric Winston,” Rotary President Perk Reichley said in an email. “Several of our Rotary members along with the entire Xenia High School football team and other members of the community including the Xenia School board were on hand to see the film … which showcased the life and accomplishments of Johnny Bright. Thank you again to Xenia High School and Gabe Lofton for hosting this special event.”
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