The Mythic Mississippi Project is pleased to present its first film (25 minutes) called "Martyr to Abolition and Freedom of the Press. The Legacy of Elijah P. Lovejoy." Beautifully filmed in Alton, Illinois, where Lovejoy was murdered in 1837 because of his unwavering opposition to slavery and commitment to publishing his abolitionist views in his newspaper despite dire threats to his personal safety, "Martyr to Abolition and Freedom of the Press" is especially timely. With outstanding cinematography and a compelling narration by a local Lovejoy expert, the film provides a clear and moving account of this extraordinary man. The film has been commissioned as part of The Mythic Mississippi Project, which is supported by the University of Illinois grant program called "Presidential Initiative to Celebrate the Impact of the Arts and the Humanities." In addition to the film's important public outreach, educational content and powerful message, it is intended to interest the viewer to visit Alton to see the Lovejoy locations as part of the Project's overall goal of stimulating cultural tourism in downstate towns that have lost their industrial economy and that can be helped by a rise in regional tourism.
