This weekend, the community will have an opportunity to see the “Coming Through the Fire” documentary based on the early life and struggles of Dr. C. Eric Lincoln. The film is based on his book, “Coming Through the Fire: Surviving Race and Place in America” and depicts him growing up in Athens during the Jim Crowe era. The film is being presented by the Athens Limestone Community Association for its 2022 Black History program.

Dr. Lincoln was born in Athens and graduated from Trinity High School in 1941. Raised by his maternal grandmother after being abandoned by his parents, he went on to become a professor of Religion and Culture at Duke University and he penned more than 20 books on the topics of sociology of black religion and race and ethnic relations in the United States.

The documentary film was produced by Athens City Councilman Frank Travis, Charlotte Fulton, Gerald Austin and Carolyn Williams and features local actors and locations.

“The project was a request from Clark Atlanta University. They had the C. Eric Lincoln lecture series and they have had it for 38 years,” Travis said. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the activities at the university were suspended.

“Dr. Phillip Dunston, who is over the Religion Department at Clark Atlanta University, contacted Ms. Lucy Lincoln, the widow of Dr. C. Eric Lincoln, for suggestions on what could be done. She suggested that he contact us and we told them that we would see what we could come up with,” Travis said. The Athens Limestone Community Association began brainstorming ideas and decided on a film documenting Dr. Lincoln’s life in Athens.

They needed help filming the project, and they reached out to John David Crowe from Friendship Church.

“Without John David Crowe, we never would have been able to carry this out,” Travis said. “We contacted a bunch of friends because we didn’t have any money. We had to rely on our friends to help us out. It evolved from there.”

“We are very proud and, in fact, it turned out better that we had anticipated. The whole film is the words of Dr. C. Eric Lincoln. We took his book ‘Coming Through the Fire’ and in that book, he writes about his experience in Athens growing up from a child through high school,” Travis said.

The film is narrated by Gerald Austin and stars Mary Freeman, Kaden Freeman and Jaylon White.

The documentary film also features Denise Williams, Robert Malone, Kelly Range, David Higgins and Rebekah Davis. Music is by Jerome Malone, pastor at Oasis Church.

Lisa Gill’s class from Athens Elementary and little master Austin with the group were also special contributors.

“Kaden Freeman is the actor who plays the young Dr. Lincoln. He is a student at Tanner and very active at school I think he’s a little basketball star,” Carolyn Williams said. “Jaylon White played the older Dr. Lincoln.”

Parts of the film were filmed in Mooresville-Belle Mina and Village View United Methodist Church.

“That was Dr. Lincoln and Mrs. Sowell’s, his grandmother’s, church. It really was exciting to do those and we felt honored just to be contacted and work with them. It was such a joy,” Williams said.

The film will be shown free-of-charge Saturday, Feb. 5, at 6 p.m. and at 7:30 p.m., also Sunday, Feb. 6, at 2 p.m. at the Cinemagic Theatre, 1702 South Jefferson Street.

Donations are appreciated and will help the Athens Limestone Community Association as it continues to work on completion of the Fort Henderson Memorial and the Trinity History Center at the Trinity-Ft. Henderson Complex.

The popular 1962 Trinity PTA Cookbook will also be available for purchase at the event.

Seats on a first-come, first-serve.