“Black Jack Pershing: Love and War” has been honored with an Award of Excellence by judges in the Broadcast Education Association’s Festival of Media Arts documentary division competition. Producer/director Barney McCoy, broadcasting professor at the CoJMC, was honored with the award at the BEA’s 2018 convention in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Sunday, April 8.
The documentary tells the story of Gen. John J. Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I and the only active duty six-star general in U.S. history. CoJMC professor of practice Luis Peon-Casanova was the documentary’s primary videographer.
“Black Jack Pershing: Love and War” reminds us of the historic lengths Pershing went to serve his country even as he battled deep personal tragedy in his life,” said McCoy, who conducted five years of archival research examining Pershing’s personal papers and interviewing historians and Pershing family members for the documentary. “The project also reveals the extraordinary sacrifices Americans made at home and abroad during the first World War.”
The competitive BEA festival received a record 1,541 entries in 15 competitions this year. BEA is the premier international academic media organization, driving insights, excellence in media production and career advancement for educators, students, and professionals.
“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, University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s Research Council, Lowell Vestal, Sandra Pershing and the Hitchcock Foundation.
