LancasterHistory, 230 N. President Ave., Lancaster, will host a film screening event, "I Am Somebody: The Trailblazing Career of Madeline Anderson," on Saturday, Sept. 23, at 2 p.m. Featuring two documentaries directed by acclaimed film director and Lancaster native Madeline Anderson, the event will aim to shine a spotlight on a groundbreaking filmmaker and two pivotal moments in the struggle for racial equality in America.

Attendees will watch Anderson's 1960 film "Integration Report 1" and "I Am Somebody," released in 1970. "Integration Report 1" captures the fight for black equality in multiple American places, including Montgomery, Ala.; Brooklyn, N.Y.; and Washington, D.C. "I Am Somebody" focuses on the struggles of black hospital workers in Charleston, S.C. The film documents their efforts to seek equitable labor conditions through striking.

Shianne Hargrove, an information specialist at LancasterHistory, will introduce the films and will also be available to answer questions after the screening about Anderson and the additional research Hargrove has conducted on black artists in Lancaster. Sept. 23 will also be the opening of Hargrove's new photograph exhibit in LancasterHistory's Stoudt Gallery, titled "Black Lancastrians in the Arts: A Lasting Legacy."

Born in 1924 in Lancaster, Anderson had an early passion for directing. She graduated from J.P. McCaskey High School in 1945, and her cinematic journey began at New York University while studying psychology. She became professionally involved in filmmaking when she answered a babysitting ad for documentarian Richard Leacock, a pioneer of cinema verite style filmmaking, who would go on to become her mentor. Anderson has had a distinguished career, including serving as the first female supervising editor and an in-house producer for the Children's Television Workshop ("Sesame Street"). She currently resides in Brooklyn.

There is a discount for students age 17 and under. Admission is free to LancasterHistory members, but they should register in advance. Tickets can be obtained at http://www.lancasterhistory.org or by calling 717-392-4633. Capacity is limited, so advance registration is strongly recommended.