Heritage of Power and the Legacy of Mary Ellen Pleasant

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Heritage of Power and the Legacy of Mary Ellen Pleasant
Thursday, January 31, 2013, 6 p.m.
Free event at the California Historical Society, 678 Mission Street, San Francisco

Scholar, performer, and filmmaker Susheel Bibbs will offer a special book event on the release of a new enhanced edition of her book Heritage of Power (Marie LaVeaux to Mary Ellen Pleasant). Mary Pleasant, an activist and entrepreneur in early San Francisco, is known as the Mother of Civil Rights in California. In her colorful career Pleasant aided abolitionist John Brown, fought for civil rights and jobs, raised a great fortune, and fought a great court battle in Old Sacramento that later changed modern-day civil rights. In her presentation, Bibbs will deliver readings from her book within a brief talk entitled "Before Martin There Was Mary" and will then show her award-winning short film entitled The Legacy of Mary Ellen Pleasant. Both her book and Bibbs' film explain Pleasant's title and her great trial. Please RSVP at pleasantchs.eventbrite.com.