The Nevada County Library and the Nevada County Historical Society announce a double feature documentary screening at the Nevada Theatre on Wednesday, May 17th from 7 pm – 8:30 pm. Made possible by the Friends of the Nevada County Libraries, this event is free and open to the public.
This event will feature two highly acclaimed documentaries: “Legacy” produced by Joe Flannery with the U.S. Forest Service, and “Going Home” by documentary filmmaker Min Zhou. Both filmmakers will be in attendance for a special Q&A after the double feature.
“Going Home” recounts the lives of thirteen Chinese workers who participated in the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad, and the discovery of their remains in Carlin, Nevada in 1996. The film covers efforts to rebury them in the Carlin City Cemetery in 2018 after more than two decades of efforts by the Carlin community.
“Legacy” tells the story of Chinese migrant workers who helped build the transcontinental railroad through Donner pass, telling their story against the background of the impressive Sierra Nevada.
The event provides a unique opportunity for the community to engage with documentary filmmaking and explore the intersection of culture, heritage, and history. Built in 1865, the Nevada Theatre is a historic landmark and one of the oldest continuously operating theaters in the United States.
“During the final month of Nevada County Reads, library staff intentionally programmed this documentary screening to connect our unique local stories of Chinese railroad workers with themes presented in Charles Yu’s Interior Chinatown, including cultural stereotyping faced by today’s Asian American communities,” says Margaret Gilmore, branch manager at the Madelyn Helling Library.
National best-selling author Charles Yu visits Nevada City on Friday, May 27th at the Miners Foundry. Learn more about Nevada County Reads “One Book, One Community” at nevadacountyreads.com and pick up a copy of Interior Chinatown at your local library.
The Nevada Theater is located at 401 Broad St in downtown Nevada City. For more information about this and other library events, visit the online calendar at nevadacountyca.gov/library or call (530) 265-7050.