Senator Harris Wofford: Portrait of a Citizen
The Corporation for Civic Documentaries is currently creating a documentary film on former Senator Harris Wofford of Pennsylvania. The film's working title is Senator Harris Wofford: Portrait of a Citizen.
CCD recently released a teaser trailer for the film:
Special Update: Senator Wofford was very active in the 2008 Election. CCD has produced a short featurette with Senator Wofford discussing his perspective on President-Elect Obama.
Harris Wofford is an important figure in the history of the Civil Rights movement and has had a substantial impact throughout the United States. Wofford advised Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on the strategy of non-violent civil disobedience in the 1950s. The first white male graduate of Howard University Law School, Wofford also played a critical role in the Kennedy Administration, first as Special Assistant to the President for Civil Rights, and later as an early advocate of the Peace Corps. His championship of the Martin Luther King, Jr., Day of Service over the last twelve years alone has resulted in more than 500,000 Americans taking part in these activities each year (according to the Corporation for National Service). In the Senate, Wofford introduced the current debate over universal healthcare to the national political scene and was instrumental in the creation of the Corporation for National Service.
The documentary, approximately thirty minutes in length, will have a unique two-act structure. The viewer first hears the Senator's story from others (such as General Colin Powell); then, having learned about the Senator and formed their own views on him, the audience meets Harris Wofford, and is able to compare and contrast their preconceptions with their impressions upon hearing him discuss his life. The film is narrated by acclaimed Shakespearean actor Anthony Heald, who has starred both on Broadway, and in numerous films, including The Silence of the Lambs and Red Dragon.
Interviewees in the film include: Senator Edward M. Kennedy, General Colin Powell, Governor Edward G. Rendell, former Senator Rick Santorum, Sen. Robert P. Casey, Jr., Caroline Kennedy, Paul Begala, Ted Sorensen, and Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan. In addition, CCD will soon be interviewing Ambassador Andrew Young, and other individuals who have known Senator Wofford.
The film will be released in 2009. For more information please contact us at: contact@civicdocumentaries.org.