Ruben Salazar: Man in the Middle 
Screening and Discussion with Director Phillip Rodriguez 

Live Webcast

Admission is free. RSVP HERE

The theme guide for this event is available HERE.

DESCRIPTION:
In honor of the 50th anniversary of the Chicano Moratorium and killing of Mexican-American journalist Ruben Salazar, we will present a screening and discussion of Ruben Salazar: Man in the Middle, produced and directed by Phillip Rodriguez. Man in the Middle explores Salazar's transformation from a mainstream, middle-of-the-road reporter to a supporter and primary chronicler of the radical Chicano movement of the late 1960s. The film features interviews with Salazar's friends, colleagues, and family members, and draws considerably from primary sources held by the USC Libraries Special Collections.

Killed under mysterious circumstances by a law enforcement officer on August 29, 1970, while covering the Chicano Moratorium, Salazar became an instant martyr to the Latino community—which had often criticized his reporting during his lifetime. Adding to Salazar’s mystique, details of his death were obscured for four decades. Man in the Middle removes Salazar from the glare of myth and martyrdom, and offers a clear-eyed look at the civil rights activist and reporter. 

Rodriguez will introduce the documentary and answer questions afterward. This event is being presented as a precursor to next spring's performance, Inflammatory Literature: The Legacy of American Journalist Ruben Salazar.

Related Event:
Inflammatory Literature: The Legacy of American Journalist Ruben Salazar
Wednesday, March 3, 2021 at 4 p.m. PT
Online Event
For more info, click here.

Presented by USC Visions and Voices: The Arts and Humanities Initiative. Organized by Oliver Mayer (Dramatic Arts), Barbara Robinson (USC Libraries), and Carlos Parra (History). Co-sponsored by the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, USC Dornsife College, the USC Libraries, the USC School of Dramatic Arts, and La CASA.