Invited guests attended the county premiere of the documentary film “Ain’t No Back to a Merry-Go-Round” about the 1960 civil rights protests at the carousel at Glen Echo Park.
County Executive Marc Elrich was among the attendees Sunday at AFI Silver in downtown Silver Spring.
In 1960, protestors helped integrate the former Glen Echo Amusement Park, with some protestors going on to become Freedom Riders in the south. Howard University students and Jewish residents came together in order to desegregate the park.
The film features the voices of actors Mandy Patinkin and Washington D.C. native Jeffrey Wright and is directed by Emmy Award winner Ilana Trachtman.
Trachtman, who grew up in Rockville and now lives in Philadelphia, said Glen Echo Park was a big part of her childhood.
“When I learned the story not just of Glen Echo’s integration, but also just the fact that it had been segregated, I was really gobsmacked,” she told MCM.
“It’s a story to be proud of and it’s a story to be ashamed of. The shame comes from the fact that so recently it was absolutely acceptable for an amusement park of all things to be off-limits to part of the population.” But it is remarkable what the Howard students and Jewish residents accomplished, Trachtman said, “And it’s remarkable that they were sort of humble before their differences and got to know each other and some lifelong friendships resulted.”
Jeffrey Slavin, Mayor of Somerset, President of MCM’s Board of Directors and one of the film’s executive producers, said “So many people in this area who grew up here don’t know the story…I’ve seen it three times and I learn something new” each time about the unsung heroes portrayed in the film.
