Ain’t No Back to A Merry-Go-Round: Screening & Conversation with Filmmaker Ilana Trachtman and Rev. Adriene Thorne

Join The Riverside Church, The Jewish Theological Seminary, Union Theological Seminary, The Episcopal Diocese of NY, and The Interfaith Center of NY for a screening of Ain’t No Back to a Merry-Go-Round, immediately followed by a live conversation between Ilana Trachtman (filmmaker), Rev. Adriene Thorne (Senior Minister of The Riverside Church), and Dr. Judith Willner (Retired Faculty, Coppin State University).

This event is presented free of charge. Registration is required.

ABOUT THE FILM

Ain’t No Back to A Merry-Go-Round is the compelling, untold story of the first organized interracial civil rights protest in U.S. history, sparked by five Howard University students sitting on a Maryland carousel in 1960. The arrests of the Howard University students set off a chain of partnerships and protests involving Jewish neighbor allies, Nazis, congressional leaders, union organizers, and a young Stokely Carmichael. The legal challenge to their arrest went all the way to the Supreme Court. Ain’t No Back to A Merry-Go-Round is a rich film that includes never-before seen footage and as well as accounts from four living protesters. This is a poignant and timely film that is educational and inspiring for this current moment in time.

DATE & TIME

Sunday, May 11, 2025, 4:00 PM

The Riverside Church | Assembly Hall
490 Riverside Drive
New York, NY