Septima: From A to Z

In this 45-minute film, we will bring Septima Clark’s story into the present day by focusing on Zania Cummings, the actor playing the title character, and the "Z" in our documentary title. Zania is a charming Charlestonian, a poet, and a waitress. Her sense of personal responsibility for the health of our democracy has been increasing, having taken on the roll of Septima in the spring of 2024. We will capture her insights and revelations, along with her fellow cast members, as they bring their story to schools and community centers in rural counties of South Carolina, and then to Washington, DC and the members of the Congressional Black Caucus. We will also interview a diverse group of individuals who knew Clark personally or who have studied her work, and we carefully select excerpts that provide interesting insights, rather than mere praise, and especially those that connect clearly to the contemporary issues that we have identified (voting rights, citizen engagement). We do not aim to produce a comprehensive historical document, but an inspiring call to action.