| Whitney Plantation Museum invites the public to a powerful virtual screening and live conversation on Wednesday, April 9, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. CT, featuring the documentary My Father’s Name, directed by Susanna Styron. The film follows Jan Frazier, a white woman who makes a devastating discovery after her father’s death: as a young man, he participated in a lynching. As Jan seeks to understand the circumstances of this violent event, she learns that the lynching was one of the most widely documented in American history. Through this deeply personal reckoning, Jan confronts her father’s legacy, wrestles with the implications for her own identity, and begins to understand the ways unconscious racism has shaped her life. My Father’s Name is a meditation on historical silence, familial accountability, and the courage it takes to confront the past. Following the screening, Whitney Plantation Executive Director Dr. Ashley Rogers will lead a live discussion with Jessie Jaynes-Diming, special projects coordinator of The Emmett Till Interpretive Center, and Connie Royster, executive producer of the film. These experts will invite audience participation and will delve into the emotional, historical and moral weight of truth-telling in white families and the public consequences of private actions. Together, we’ll explore what it means to confront the past with honesty and look at historical erasure and how it shapes public understanding of racial violence. This event is free and open to the public with registration. WHAT: Virtual Screening & Live Conversation – My Father’s Name WHEN: Wednesday, April 9, 2025 | 3:00 p.m. CT WHERE: Online | REGISTER HERE WARNING: Please be advised that this 20-minute documentary explores graphic imagery and sensitive themes that may be disturbing to some viewers. PANELIST BIOS Dr. Ashley Rogers, executive director, Whitney Plantation Ashley Rogers is Executive Director of the Whitney Plantation. She has led the museum’s interpretation and operations since its opening in 2014 and guided its 2019 transition to a 501(c)(3). She authored the site’s first strategic plan and built its inaugural board. With more than a decade of experience at historic sites, she consults on race, slavery interpretation, and equitable museum practice. She co-authored the MASS Action toolkit, the Inclusive Historian’s Handbook, and James Madison’s Montpelier descendant engagement rubric. She holds an MA in History from Colorado State University and earned her PhD at Louisiana State University. She serves on the board of the Southern Mutual Help Association. Jessie Jaynes-Diming, special projects coordinator, The Emmett Till Interpretive Center Jessie Jaynes-Diming is a passionate community activist wanting to see change for the future. Born in Chicago, she lived there for fifty-one years before becoming a transplant to Tallahatchie County. She was a founding member of the Emmett Till Memorial Commission preserving the story of Emmett Till and wants that story to be the cause for more healing and learning. Constance Royster, executive producer, My Father’s Name Constance Royster is an Executive Producer of this film. She is a consultant and advisor to nonprofits and individuals in education, arts and culture. A graduate of Yale University, Connie went on to Rutgers law school and a 25-year career in law, including as an associate at Paul Weiss and Assistant U.S. Attorney in the SDNY. In her second career, Connie was a fundraiser for the Yale Environment School and served as Director of Development at the Divinity School. She sits on multiple boards, including Open Communities Alliance (OCA) a housing equity nonprofit. Connie is the niece and namesake of Judge Constance Baker Motley, a fellow of Jonathan Edwards College at Yale, and recipient of the prestigious Yale Medal. About Whitney Plantation Whitney Plantation is the only plantation museum in Louisiana dedicated to telling the history of slavery from the enslaved perspective. Located in Wallace, Louisiana, Whitney Plantation strives to foster a deeper understanding of the legacy of slavery and its lasting impact on American society through immersive tours and exhibits, historic site preservation, and educational programs. Follow Whitney on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and LinkedIn, and learn more at whitneyplantation.org. About Emmett Till Interpretive Center Emmett Till Interpretive Center, located in Sumner, Mississippi, is a community-based organization dedicated to restorative justice through public education, storytelling and historic preservation. Centered on the 1955 murder of Emmett Till and the aftermath, the Center works to tell the truth about racial violence, support community healing and foster a more equitable future. Its work includes museum interpretation, public educationmemorialization, and the preservation of historic sites connected to Emmett Till’s story. |
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