Three films produced by APPC’s Leonore Annenberg Institute for Civics in partnership with the Annenberg Foundation Trust at Sunnylands as part of an ongoing initiative to educate the nation’s youth about the Constitution have been recognized for their excellence.
“A Call to Act: Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company,” a documentary on Lilly Ledbetter, whose fight for equal pay for equal work resulted in the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, the first bill signed by President Barack Obama in 2009, is a recipient of the 2011 ABA Silver Gavel Award. Since 1958, the American Bar Association has presented these awards to recognize books, newspapers, radio, films, websites and other programs that are exemplary in fostering the public’s understanding of the law and legal institutions. “A Call to Act” is one of only six Silver Gavels being awarded among nearly 200 entries received in all eligible categories.
“A Call to Act” is also the recipient of a Bronze Telly Award (in the online documentary video category) as well as a Bronze People’s Telly Award, from the international competition which honors excellence in commercials, video, and television programs. The film will be available online at Annenberg Classroom for Constitution Day 2011, joining a comprehensive “Teaching the Constitution” curriculum that includes videos, lesson plans, books, and interactive games.
Two additional films in this expanding curriculum also continue to receive awards. “Thurgood,” the film production of the Broadway play starring Laurence Fishburne, received Bronze Telly Awards in the online documentary and online educational video categories, “Jury Selection: Edmonson v. Leesville Concrete Company,” a documentary that follows the path of Thaddeus Edmonson to the U.S. Supreme Court, where the Justices ruled that under the Fourteenth Amendment’s equal protection clause parties in civil cases cannot reject potential jurors on the basis of their race, was honored earlier this year with a CINE Golden Eagle Award and a CINE Special Jury Award. It has since gone on to win CINE’s highest honor, the Master Series Award.
Please visit AnnenbergClassroom.org for more information about APPC’s civics education resources.
