Sexual assault in prisons in South Orange’s Tuxedo Park Neighborhood

South Orange's Tuxedo Park neighborhood is set to host a screening of the documentary Free Joan Little on Wednesday, March 18, at 7:30 PM.

 

This event will feature an in-person discussion with the film's director, Yoruba Richen.

 

The 36-minute documentary delves into the 1974 case of Joan Little, a 20-year-old Black woman in North Carolina who became the first woman in U.S. history acquitted for using deadly force to resist sexual assault while incarcerated.

 

Little's trial galvanized a nationwide coalition of activists, including civil rights leaders and feminists, leading to her acquittal in 1975.

 

Director Yoruba Richen, a Peabody Award-winning filmmaker, connects Little's story to contemporary issues of mass incarceration and sexual violence in detention facilities.

 

The film premiered at DOC NYC in November.

 

Organized by the Tuxedo Park Diversity & Inclusion Committee, the screening aims to foster community dialogue on these pressing issues.

 

Seating is limited; advance RSVP is requested.

 

A suggested donation of $5–$25 will support community programming.

 

For more information, contact the committee at [email protected] or committee member Seyi Peter-Thomas at 646-342-6946.