This Thursday, Oct. 8, at 7 p.m., we will be airing the Mid-America Emmy Award-winning and Public Media Award-winning (Teacher Professional Learning) documentary "Unveiled: Daisy Bates and Johnny Cash." Director Nathan Willis commemorates civil rights activist Daisy Bates and musician Johnny Cash, whose statues currently represent Arkansas in Washington, D.C.'s Statuary Hall.
Viewers follow artists Kevin Kresse (Cash) and Benjamin Victor (Bates) through the sculpting process while diving into the lives of their subjects. The documentary creates a sense of familiarity, connecting the lives of these American figures to recognizable locations across the state and showing their legacy reflected in Arkansas communities.
Johnny Cash, known across America for his influence on the country music genre, was born in Kingsland, Arkansas, and grew up in Dyess. His early life was overshadowed by poverty, such that his music reflected a personal connection with the American working class. His music commented on rural and working-poor experiences, spirituality and social protest.
“[Daisy Bates and Johnny Cash had] a life of total poverty and grew up in rural Arkansas, which is really in essence, blue collar Americana.”
– Kevin Kresse, Sculpture Artist for Johnny Cash in Statuary Hall
Daisy Bates is best known for her critical role in the integration of Little Rock Central High School. She served under the NAACP and advocated for Black liberation through her work as a journalist, publisher and public speaker. Bates was a mentor to the Little Rock Nine, offering her home as a meeting point for their activities.
“I always found that Daisy Bates was someone who was trying to open up the future. She was somebody that wouldn't let go until she saw some progress for somebody other than herself.”
– Ernest Green of the Little Rock Nine
“Unveiled” reveals an intimate connection between Arkansan memory and culture. It centers the arts in communicating meaning, celebrating our predecessors and those touched by their legacy.
HOW TO WATCH
Watch "Unveiled: Daisy Bates and Johnny Cash" Thursday, Oct. 8, at 7 p.m. live on broadcast or at arkansastv.gov/live.
You can also watch it on demand at YouTube.com/@arkansastv.