Denzel Washington in “Glory" at the Orpheum Theatre -- February 15.
Saturday, February 15, 7 p.m.
Orpheum Theatre, 57 South Kellogg Street, Galesburg IL
Presented by Galesburg's Orpheum Theatre with support through a grant from the United Way of Knox County, a special screening of Edward Zwick's Oscar-winning 1989 drama Glory will be held at the Orpheum on February 15, its free showing intended to further promote the initiative of creating a permanent monument to honor previously unsung heroes of the American Civil War.
On November 12, 2024, State Representative Dan Swanson, while being accompanied by Galesburg city leaders and community supporters, took to the Illinois State House floor to read a resolution honoring 12 African-American men from Galesburg that fought in the Civil War. Back in 1863, following the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, President Abraham Lincoln called for the raising of a black regiment for the Union Army. The 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment was subsequently formed, becoming only the second black unit to serve in the Civil War which is what these brave men fought as part of. The movie Glory depicts this very same regiment, and prior to its February 15 showing, the video recording of the resolution from Representative Swanson will be shown, along with brief words from him and City of Galesburg Ward 4 Alderman Dwight White, who is largely responsible for moving this initiative forward.
Directed by Edward Zwick, Glory stars Matthew Broderick as Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, commander of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, and Denzel Washington, Cary Elwes, Andre Braugher, and Morgan Freeman as fictional members of the 54th. The screenplay by Kevin Jarre was based on the books Lay This Laurel (1973) by Lincoln Kirstein and One Gallant Rush (1965) by Peter Burchard, as well as the personal letters of Shaw. The film depicts the soldiers of the 54th from the formation of their regiment to their heroic actions at the Second Battle of Fort Wagner. Glory premiered in limited release in the United States on December 15, 1989, and in wide release on February 16, 1990, grossing $27 million worldwide on an $18 million budget. The film was nominated for five Academy Awards and won three: Cinematography, Sound, and Best Supporting Actor for Washington. It also won awards from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, the Golden Globe Awards, the Kansas City Film Critics Circle, the Political Film Society, and the NAACP Image Awards.
Glory will be screened in Galesburg on February 15, admission to the 7 p.m. event is free, and more information is available by calling (309)342-2299 and visiting GalesburgOrpheum.org.
