One-Man Show Tells a Lynching Survivor's Story

VALDOSTA -- Valdosta State University's Office of Social Equity and African-American Studies will present a one-man performance that recounts the tale of the only known survivor of a lynching attempt at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 10, in the Student Union Ballroom.

The play, 10 Perfect: A Lynching Survivor's Story, was written and will be performed by Dr. Patrick Sims, a theatre and drama professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Portraying 18 different characters during the performance, Sims will reveal the grim details of James Cameron's survival of a mob lynching in Marion, Ind. on Aug. 7, 1930.

As the show progresses, the audience will get to see how Cameron's life is transformed by the experience. The play explores Cameron's transition from an immature teenager to a dynamic civil rights activist. It highlights his accomplishments, which include chartering three chapters of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the establishment of America's Black Holocaust Museum in Milwaukee.

"This play will provide people with an opportunity to share and explore a critical part of African-American history," said Office of Social Equity Director Maggie Viverette. "It is first event for this year's African-American Lecture Series."

Admission is free and open to VSU and the general public. For more information, call (229) 333-5463 or (229) 249-4843.