You are invited to the VIP screening of the documentary “The Power of the Pen,” on April 19, 2022, at 6:30 p.m. in the Howard Jordan Auditorium in Jordan College of Business Administration building at Savannah State University.
The program is being presented by the Gilliard Foundation, Savannah State University, and Savannah State University Student Government Association.
“The Power of the Pen” is a powerful documentary on the passing of Georgia House Bill 479, the repeal of Georgia’s Citizen’s Arrest Law and Ahmaud Arbery. It was written and narrated by GA State Representative Carl Gilliard and was editing by Kareem McMichael.
On May 10, 2021, Governor Kemp signed a bill that repealed and replaced Georgia’s citizen’s arrest law. The changes prevent citizens from be able to make arrests, overhauling the previous law that dates back to 1863. State Representative Carl Gilliard of Garden City was a sponsor of the bill, and says it likely played a large role in convicting the men charged with killing Arbery.
“In 1863, the law was made right after reconstruction to essentially lynch people legally. That was the first thing that came out of their mouth in Brunswick that this was a citizen’s arrest, hoping that that would justify the murder of Ahmaud Arbery. I decided to use the power of legislation to find a way to do something about this law,”,” said Gilliard.
The documentary features Tracy Rookard, GA State Representative Roger Bruce, New York Senator Michael Gianaris, South Carolina State Representative Wendel Gilliard, and Attorney Max Hess.
Established in 1890, Savannah State University is the oldest public historically black college or university in Georgia and the oldest institution of higher learning in the city of Savannah. The university’s 4,100 students select majors from 30 undergraduate and six graduate programs in four colleges ‐ Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, Business Administration, Sciences and Technology, and Education.
