WVPB to present ‘Becoming Thurgood’ – Screening & panel discussion at Marshall University

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – West Virginia Public Broadcasting (WVPB) will host a public screening of “Becoming Thurgood: America’s Social Architect”—a 30-minute Maryland Public Television (MPT) documentary about the life and legacy of Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall—followed by a moderated panel discussion at Marshall University on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, 7:00 PM.

“For many Americans, Marshall is a name in a textbook,” said Us & Them host, Trey Kay. “This film makes him present—brilliant, strategic, humane—and invites us to carry that spirit into today’s debates over equity, education and the rule of law.”

As the United States approaches the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 2026, communities nationwide are reassessing the promises of liberty and equality. Marshall’s career provides a powerful through-line from the founding ideals to the unfinished work of civil rights. His legal victories, especially Brown v. Board of Education, transformed American society and remain central to debates about racial justice, education, and equal protection under law. This event uses the film as a springboard for reflection, civic learning, and dialogue at a time when public conversations about diversity, equity, and inclusion are deeply contested. In considering Marshall’s legacy, we also invite participants to reflect on how our nation continues the hard work of forming “a more perfect union.”

Following the screening, there will be a live panel discussion moderated by Trey Kay, host of WVPB’s Murrow Award-winning podcast Us & Them. The panel will include:

• Dr. Cicero Fain (historian of African American life and culture in Appalachia)
• Dr. Patricia Proctor (constitutional scholar; director, Amicus Curiae Lecture Series, Marshall University)
• Clinton Arnold  (professor at West Virginia State University and CEO of KISRA — Kanawha Institute for Social Research & Action, Inc.)

This event brings together scholars, community leaders, and the public to examine how Justice Marshall’s story resonates today. In doing so, it contributes to a national conversation about the meaning of justice, the legacy of civil rights, and the ongoing challenge of living up to the ideals set forth in the nation’s founding documents. Audience members will be invited to participate in a Q&A session. The event will be recorded for a future episode of Us & Them.

About West Virginia Public Broadcasting:

The mission of West Virginia Public Broadcasting (WVPB) is to educate, inform, and inspire people by telling West Virginia’s story. WVPB is an indispensable resource for education, news and public affairs, emergency services and economic development. Learn more at http://www.wvpublic.org or find us on Facebook and Instagram.