Hawks to screen movie Selma following game with Raptors

The Hawks will host a screening of the Academy Award nominated movie Selma following Friday’s game against the Raptors.

Fans who remain following the game can watch the movie on the center scoreboard and on the court via the new projection system. The screening is part of the Hawks celebration of Black History Month.

“We are thrilled that Paramount Pictures is working with us on this pioneering initiative,” Hawks CEO Steve Koonin said in a statement. “We are hopeful that by presenting this incredible film on a night that we’re honoring civil rights icons, we will bring honor to the legacy of our leaders while encouraging this current generation to sustain the good work.”

The film chronicles the tumultuous three-month period in 1965 in nthe Civil Rights Movement when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. led a campaign to secure equal voting rights in the face of violent opposition. The campaign included the epic march in Alabama from Selma to Montgomery. Following the march, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was signed.