February 6, 2012

JHU Press, Pratt Library co-host screening of ‘The Amish’

The Johns Hopkins University Press and the Enoch Pratt Free Library will co-host a special pre-broadcast screening of The Amish, an upcoming PBS documentary that attempts to answer many questions Americans have about this insular religious community.

The screening will be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 12, in Wheeler Auditorium of the library’s central branch, located at 400 Cathedral St.

The documentary, part of the award-winning PBS series The American Experience, draws on the expertise of numerous JHU Press authors, including Donald B. Kraybill, a leading authority on the Amish and editor of the Press’ highly regarded series in Anabaptist studies.

Filmed over the course of one year, the groundbreaking work features unprecedented access to Amish communities. The film’s producers claim it’s the first documentary to deeply penetrate and explore this attention-averse group. The Amish will premiere on PBS at 8 p.m. on Feb. 28.

A post-screening discussion will feature Kraybill and the film’s producer, Callie T. Wiser. A JHU Press book sale and signing will be held before and after the program. Admission is free.