January 23, 2007

Wilmington, N.C. – The University of North Carolina Wilmington presents The Marines of Montford Point: Fighting for Freedom at 5 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 15, 2007, at the Northside High School Auditorium in Jacksonville, N.C. The event is free and open to the public.

The hour long documentary, written and co-produced by UNCW, chronicles the largely untold story of the first African-Americans to serve in the United States Marine Corps. Several Montford Point veterans will attend the showing of this moving and poignant film, which documents their loyalty and service in the face of prejudice and discrimination.

Recruited as a result of America’s entry into World War II, these African-American Marines began receiving basic training at the segregated Montford Point Base adjacent to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina in 1942. More than 20,000 African-American Marines were trained at this segregated facility from 1942 to 1949. During WWII, those trained at Montford Point saw action in the Pacific Theater and as support units in the U.S. and overseas.

The documentary was written and directed by Melton McLaurin, UNCW Professor Emeritus, who has taught extensively on the South and race relations. UNCW's involvement stems from a chance meeting between McLaurin and Clarence Willie, Lieutenant Colonel, Retired, United States Marine Corps and former superintendent of schools in Brunswick County, N.C. After securing funding, Willie and McLaurin interviewed more than 60 Montford Point veterans in order to highlight their stories in the documentary.

Academy Award winner Louis Gossett, Jr., narrated the film and Dustin Miller, director of the UNCW Department of Media Production, served as executive producer and editor. The film was shot and further edited by UNCW Television. Plans to roll out the documentary to national and international cable outlets are currently underway.

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To obtain a copy of The Marines of Montford Point: Fighting for Freedom, contact Dustin Miller at 910.962.4082.

UNCW media contact: Dana Fischetti, manager of news and media services, 910.962.7259 or fischettid@uncw.edu.