Rock Island, IL: The Rock Island Public Library will host a screening and discussion by Heritage Documentaries on Thursday, May 23 of "The Rock Island Civil War Prison: Andersonville of the North?" The screening starts at 6:30 pm in the Community Room of the Rock Island Main Library, 401 19th Street. The event is free and open to the public.
The 30-minute documentary tells the story of the Rock Island Confederate prison camp using dramatic photos and other high-definition images. It documents the life of prisoners using their own words from diaries and letters and demonstrates that the death rate at Rock Island was much lower than the astonishing death rate at Andersonville Prison in Georgia. The title, "Andersonville of the North," is derived from a passage in Margaret Mitchell's literary classic, Gone with the Wind.
Writers/directors Ed Isenberg and Ezra Sidran will be present to discuss the production and answer questions. The documentary is also available on DVD.
For more news about Rock Island Public Library events, visit www.rockislandlibrary.org, call 309-732-7323 (READ) or follow the Rock Island Library on Facebook and Twitter. A monthly calendar of library events is available online and at Rock Island Library locations.
