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761st

The 761st was the first unit to enlist African-American soldiers to operate armored vehicles. What the Tuskegee Airmen were to the skies, the 761st was to land. They were requested by General George S. Patton to assist with heavy fighting during the Battle of the Bulge in WWII. The soldiers of the 761st Tank Battalion fought for 183 consecutive days, in six countries, and with great success despite a fifty-percent casualty rate. They were commonly referred to as "Eleanor Roosevelt's niggers," but proved themselves to be America's men in what we now call the "greatest generation."

Despite these undeniable accomplishments, the 761st Tank Battalion would not receive their due credit until April 20, 1978 when President Carter issued the Presidential Unit Citation to them. It took 52 years before Staff Sergeant Ruben Rivers would be awarded a posthumous Congressional Medal of Honor (January 13, 1997) in a ceremony presided over by President Clinton.

In 761st, twelve of these great soldiers recount their experience in the United States Army, fighting for a freedom overseas that they did not enjoy in America.

Screening followed by Q&A with Pete Chatmon and reception

www.761st-movie.com

 

Pete Chatmon

In today's age of New Media, writer/producer/director, Pete Chatmon is the guy you want behind the lens. Whether feature filmmaking, commercials, music or viral videos, Chatmon develops content with one focus: to engage and entertain audiences and consumers through honest storytelling. Previous credits include the romantic dramedy "Premium", starring Dorian Missick, Zoe Saldana, and Hill Harper, "761st", a documentary on the first black tank battalion in WWII, narrated by Andre Braugher, and a variety of new media campaigns for clients including Classic Kicks, New York University, and The Salvation Army. A graduate of New York University's, Tisch School of the Arts, Chatmon has been featured in Forbes Magazine, Variety, and on Fox Business Channel. Double 7 Film, his film production and marketing boutique, is based in NYC.

Co-Presented with the Black Documentary Collective