Thursday, February 6th
6:30pm ET Cash Bar | 7:30 pm ET Screening
Live at the Weitzman
GA $20 | $15 Members

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Join us for the Philadelphia premiere of Ain’t No Back to the Merry-Go-Round, an award-winning documentary by Emmy Award-winning director Ilana Trachtman. Quickly becoming a lightning rod for heartfelt dialogue between the Black and Jewish communities, this powerful film has been embraced with enthusiasm across diverse audiences and is inspiring new conversations about civil rights and allyship.

The film recounts a watershed moment in American history: the first time an organized white community—predominantly Jewish—joined forces with Black civil rights activists. Together, they protested segregation at Washington, D.C.’s Glen Echo Amusement Park in 1960, challenging racism in a historic demonstration that drew national attention and paved the way for future collaborations in the fight for equality.

Winner of Best Documentary Feature at the DC Black Film Festival and a sell-out success at the DC JCC, the film is a must-see for anyone passionate about social justice, civic engagement, or exploring the enduring power of interfaith and interracial alliances. Featuring rare footage, immersive storytelling, and narration by Jeffrey Wright, Mandy Patinkin, Dominique Thorne, and others, Ain’t No Back to the Merry-Go-Round captures the spirit of a movement that continues to resonate today.

Watch the Trailer

More About the Film

When five Black college students sat on a segregated Maryland carousel in 1960, their arrests made headlines. When the Jewish community near Glen Echo Amusement Park joined the protest, a history-making interracial demonstration was born. The cause, and the collaboration, provoked counterprotests by the American Nazi party and brought Congressmen and national leaders to the picket line. Picketing together led to partying together, union organizers mentored student activists, and ten 1961 Freedom Riders emerged, including Stokely Carmichael. With never-before-seen footage and immersive storytelling by Emmy-award-winning director Ilana Trachtman, four living protesters rescue this untold story, revealing the price, and the power, of heeding the impulse to activism. Featuring the voices of Jeffrey Wright, Mandy Patinkin, Bob Balaban, Lee Grant, Peter Gallagher, Dominique Thorne, Alysia Reiner, and Tracie Thoms.

Directed by Ilana Trachtman
Documentary Feature
USA | 2024 | 89 min
English

Live at The Weitzman
101 South Independence Mall East (Corner of 5^th & Market)
Philadelphia, PA 19106