CoJMC professor’s documentary to be screened across the U.S.

Friday, October 12, 2018 - 10:15am

by Molly Chapple

 “Black Jack Pershing: Love and War” will be screened at various locations across the country in the next several months, including Texas, California, Missouri, Idaho, Kansas and Nebraska.

 The documentary, which was created by CoJMC professor Barney McCoy, reveals the deeply personal story of Gen. John J. Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I and the highest active-duty general in U.S. history. It was one of only five documentaries honored with the Sigma Delta Chi national journalism award this year.

 The Pershing documentary has also been honored with an Award of Excellence, Special Mention from the Accolade Global Film Competition, an Award of Excellence from the Impact DOCS Global Documentary Competition, an Award of Excellence from the Broadcast Education Association and an Eric Sevareid Award from the Midwest Broadcast Journalists Association.

 “‘Black Jack Pershing: Love and War’ reminds us of the astonishing lengths Pershing went to serve his country and help win the war while battling deep personal tragedy in his life,” McCoy said. “Winning World War I helped establish America as a true global super power.”

 To produce the documentary, McCoy spent five years crisscrossing America examining Pershing’s personal papers, viewing thousands of archival photographs and films, and interviewing historians and Pershing family members.

 McCoy said the documentary also reveals the extraordinary sacrifices Americans made at home and abroad during the Great War.

 The film will be screened at the following locations and dates:

 -Oct.12, Overland Park, Kansas, Kansas International Film Festival, 7:45 p.m.

-Oct. 14, Omaha, Nebraska, Durham Museum, 2 p.m.

-Oct. 20, Boise, Idaho, Idaho WWI Centennial Commission, Boise Public Library, 2 p.m.

-Nov. 1, San Francisco, The Presidio Officers’ Club, 7 p.m.

-Nov. 3, San Francisco Veterans Film Festival, San Francisco Main Library, 1 p.m.

-Nov. 5, Lincoln, Nebraska, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, 11 a.m.

-Nov. 8, San Antonio, Texas, San Antonio Country Club, 6 p.m. (Private screening)

-Nov. 11, Kansas City, Missouri, KCPT Public Television broadcast on KCPT 1, 4 p.m.

-Nov. 12, Kansas City, Missouri, KCPT Public Television broadcast on KCPT 2, 7 p.m.     

-Nov. 12, NET Nebraska Public Television, statewide broadcast, 9 p.m. CST and 8 p.m. MST

-Jan. 26, 2019, Independence, Missouri, Truman Presidential Library and Museum, (Time TBD)

 “Black Jack Pershing: Love and War” is a co-production of Painted Rock Productions and NET, Nebraska’s PBS station. Production support for the documentary was provided by CoJMC, Humanities Nebraska, UNL’s Research Council, Lowell Vestal, Sandra Pershing and the Hitchcock Foundation.

 For more information on the documentary and to schedule a screening go to https://jjpershing.com/.

McCoy headshot
The documentary, which was created by CoJMC professor Barney McCoy, reveals the deeply personal story of Gen. John J. Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I and the highest active-duty general in U.S. history.