Sun Ra was one of the most important innovators in jazz in the 1950s-1970s, a critical period in the transformation of African American culture. His music and his narrative pushed the envelope of creativity in new directions, contributing to such developments as free jazz, Black Power, and Afro-Futurism. He mentored dozens of young Black musicians who performed in his Solar Arkestra. These two rarely seen films, The Cry of Jazz (1958) & Space is the Place (1974), explore his political as well as his musical breakthroughs. Join us at 4:30pm at A Greener Read to listen to some vinyl, and then come to the East Side Freedom Library to enjoy these films at 6:30pm.